U.S. Consolidates Nuclear Weapons Inspection Process at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The United States has completed the first stage of a project to consolidate one type of nuclear weapons activity at its Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported Friday (see GSN, April 17).

The site where workers inspect warheads removed from deployment has been relocated within the laboratory’s Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, said officials from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration.

“The consolidation of this function has enabled Y-12 to eliminate the need to transport materials onsite, to reduce costs and to increase the safety and security of these important activities,” said Y-12 site manager Ted Sherry in a statement.

Workers finished the initial stage of the consolidation over the past two years, and the second phase is expected to be completed in December 2008, said another U.S. official.  Total cost for the project is estimated at $47 million.

Inspecting recently removed warheads ensures that the deployed stockpile will work as designed, officials said.

The program "is responsible for assessing multiple aspects of the nuclear weapons stockpile, including component integrity, design compatibility and safety,” said a NNSA release.  “It is a key Y-12 mission and is intended to maintain confidence in the safety and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile” (Frank Munger, Knoxville News Sentinel, June 1).

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