Workers collected more than 900 samples to support characterization efforts inside the 210,000-square-foot Beta-1 facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex. The building was constructed to enrich uranium for the Manhattan Project. Image by United Cleanup Oak Ridge

OAK RIDGE, TN - The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and cleanup contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) are setting a new benchmark in cleanup progress — conducting demolition on two former Manhattan Project uranium enrichment facilities in a single year.

Crews have successfully prepared the 210,000-square-foot Beta-1 facility for teardown to begin this summer at the Y-12 National Security Complex. That demolition comes after workers finished knocking down Alpha-2 six months ahead of schedule.

“Achieving demolition readiness so promptly highlights the caliber of our workforce,” said Morgan Carden, Y-12 portfolio federal project director. “The precision of this sequencing avoids lag times and allows our crews to move immediately to the next project to continue Y-12’s transformation in a major way.”

Crews discuss isolating electricity to get the Beta-1 building to the “cold and dark” stage before deactivation can safely begin. Image by United Cleanup Oak Ridge

OREM and UCOR have cleared more than 20 acres of Manhattan Project and Cold War infrastructure at Y-12, and deactivation is underway in facilities spanning another 20 acres. These projects are removing hazards, enabling modernization and opening space to advance important national security missions.

After deactivating Beta-1’s above-ground floors, crews began addressing the basement in fall 2024. It was a complex, multidisciplinary effort, including collecting more than 900 samples, pumping 17 million gallons of water, testing and removing 3,000 feet of drainpipes, and pouring more than 2,500 truckloads of a cement mixture.

Getting the Beta-1 facility demolition-ready involved filling its basement with 2,500 truckloads of a concrete mixture to support the weight of large teardown equipment. Image by United Cleanup Oak Ridge

Use of light detection and ranging scanning technology helped quicken the pace of Beta-1’s deactivation while strengthening worker safety. The technology provided engineers a detailed 3D map of building spaces without requiring workers to enter contaminated or confined spaces.

“The journey to bring Beta-1 to this point has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Clint Wolfley, UCOR’s senior vice president of end state delivery. “This accomplishment, alongside the completion of Alpha-2, represents a transformative moment for Y-12, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to safety, innovation and reclaiming valuable land for the future of our nation.”

Beta-1's demolition is set to conclude in 2028. Following that project, crews will pivot immediately to remove the Old Steam Plant at Y-12.