Is Y-12 safe?
One: Operations at Y-12, even those designed to reduce risks, continue to pose safety threats. Y-12 continues to carry on with nuclear weapons production operations in facilities it has acknowledged are unsafe.
How many employees does Y-12 have?
4,700 people
CNS Y-12 currently employs approximately 4,700 people.
Is Y-12 the same as ORNL?
Y-12 is a National Nuclear Security Administration facility (part of DOE) with a primary mission of nuclear weapons production. ORNL does no nuclear weapons production work. In fact, ORNL has had no nuclear weapons mission since the end of World War II’s Manhattan Project (see Wikipedia article).
How big is Y-12?
811-acre
For decades, the Energy Department—which manages the weapons complex through the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA)—has not been able to reconcile competing objectives at the 811-acre Y-12 site, whether they involve storage areas for HEU and other fissile materials, the restarting of old weapons facilities.
When was Y-12 built?
1943
Originally, Y-12 was constructed in 1943 as part of the World War II-era Manhattan Project. Early missions there included uranium and lithium separations and manufacturing nuclear weapons components.
What is the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee?
The Y‑12 National Security Complex is a premier manufacturing facility dedicated to making our nation and the world a safer place and plays a vital role in the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Security Enterprise. Y‑12 helps ensure a safe and effective U.S. nuclear weapons deterrent.
When was y12 built?
What happens at y12?
Y‑12 helps ensure a safe and effective U.S. nuclear weapons deterrent. We also retrieve and store nuclear materials, fuel the nation’s naval reactors, and perform complementary work for other government and private-sector entities.
What is ORNL known for?
ORNL’s mission has grown and expanded through the years, and now it is at the forefront of supercomputing, advanced manufacturing, materials research, neutron science, clean energy, and national security.
What was y12?
The Y-12 National Security Complex is responsible for the refurbishment of nuclear weapons, storage of nuclear material, is a national prototype center and has been designated as the Department of Energy’s Center for Excellence in Uranium as well as preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.