Staff Reports
NS&D Monitor
1/22/2016
A huge problem at the Y-12 National Security Complex and other facilities at Oak Ridge, Tenn., has been the deteriorating infrastructure, much of which dates back to the World War II Manhattan Project, and the harsh weather of winter has not been friendly to these old facilities in recent years.
Consolidated Nuclear Security, the managing contractor at Y-12, has taken a number of steps to avoid frozen pipes or other problems that could interfere with production activities. The same program is helping keep some of the plant’s inactive facilities from deteriorating further because of weather issues.
“The purpose of the Y-12 Seasonal Facility Planning program (formerly known as the Freeze Protection program) is to ensure all buildings are maintained and protected during periods of severely cold weather, to minimize freeze damage and to maximize energy conservation,” CNS spokeswoman Ellen Boatner said.
Severe weather last winter forced Y-12 operations to shut down for about a week, and similar conditions are being predicted for this weekend at Oak Ridge.
Boatner said workers inspect Y-12’s buildings, systems, and equipment before and after severely cold weather events. “All unoccupied facilities with water service are walked down daily before, during and after a freeze event, including holidays, weekends and scheduled days off,” she said in response to questions. “We also use sensor monitoring and alarming equipment when continuous monitoring is needed for a facility.”
Boatner also said CNS is conducting an annual assessment of old buildings at Y-12. “Any suspected problems with the facility structure or cold weather protection equipment (e.g., non-insulated fire protection or process water pipes, broken windows, holes in exterior walls) are submitted for repair,” she said. “Yearly inspections also are performed to ensure the requirements of the Freeze Protection Plan are being implemented.”
David Keim, a spokesman at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said efforts are focused on minimizing problems with the old infrastructure on the lab’s historic Central Campus.
“Last year, the weather was particularly challenging,” Keim said. “We revised our allocation of resources, bought new equipment, and made a commitment.”
ORNL has installed pipe heaters in some of the old buildings that are particularly vulnerable to the conditions. Keim said the lab has also invested in more snow-removal equipment and other gear.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is DOE’s largest science laboratory, and it remains open year-round no matter the weather so scientists can continue to conduct experiments. That poses many extra challenges, and Keim said the lab is trying to learn from 2015’s brutal weather to make sure problems that developed last year – with dozens of workers slipping and falling on icy parking lots and sidewalks – are not repeated.
“You have to balance the folks who need to get here and being able to get here with the reality that you don’t want anyone to do something that’s unsafe,” Keim said.
