Work is now complete on one of the world’s largest demolition projects.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Environmental Management program recently completed its largest demolition project to date. The removal of K-33, a former gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment facility spanning 13 hectare (32 acres), was completed several months ahead of schedule.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded the $51 million project.
Constructed in 1954, the facility enriched uranium for defense and naval fleet purposes until 1985. A majority of the decontamination and decommissioning was performed in 1997, but the current project removed siding, demolished the building to the slab, and packaged and transported all associated debris to the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility.
K-33’s demolition finished five months ahead of schedule, and debris removal was completed Sept. 21, three months ahead of schedule. During the nine-month project, 164,000 tons of steel and concrete, accounting for 13,000 shipments, were disposed to the EMWMF.
LATA-Sharp Remediation Services LLC conducted the K-33 demolition project.
Read more here.
