Department of Energy FY 2012 Congressional ... - The FIRE Place

Project Description
4. Project Description, Justification, and Scope
This project is intended to extend the life of Buildings 9212 and 9204-2E at the Y-12 National Nuclear
Security Complex. The mission critical equipment that will be upgraded was selected through a riskinformed
analysis that was performed by a team of internal and external experts over a two-year period.
The team reviewed the conditions of over 50 systems serving the two buildings and selected 18 from the
list that were found to be most important to the two buildings safety and operational efficiency.
Justification
Buildings 9212 and 9204-2E are needed to continue NNSA missions at Y-12. The 9212 facility
represents the heart of the enriched uranium operations at Y-12. Its process support systems and many
of the processes are showing significant age-related deficiencies that have impacted reliability and, in
some cases, prevented operation of many of the processes or obtaining desired production capabilities.
Many areas of the facility were constructed in the middle 1940s. Many of the process operations
originate from the 1960s through the early 1980s and operated in harsh industrial applications and
chemical environment with little preventive maintenance. Some upgrades of the support systems have
been completed; however, they are reaching operating lives of 20 to 30 years and even more for some
systems. Certain major components of the support systems were installed in the 1960s and earlier.
Continued safe operation of 9212 impacts not only the Y-12 operations and missions, but also Defense
Program missions involving other key elements of the NNSA Nuclear Weapons Complex. Although the
9204-2E facility is a newer facility, its process support systems are of an equivalent age and are also
experiencing age-related failures. Replacement parts are no longer available for several of the failing
components causing extended delays in repairing and returning to service failed systems. Some
components are failing in a manner that is adversely impacting the 9204-2E structure. Other systems are
experiencing failures that are adversely impacting 9204-2E missions.
Building 9204-2E houses operations essential to weapons production, certification, evaluation, lifeextension,
storage, and retirement. Continued safe operation of Building 9204-2E is essential for
continued viability of the on-going weapon stockpile including disassembly, quality evaluation, and lifeextension
operations, availability of feedstock for 9212 in support of its missions including
dismantlement of retired nuclear weapons, and alleviation of current and future material storage
constraints.
Scope
Building 9212
Design and install replacement/upgrade for the degraded electrical panels, switchgears, motor control
centers, lighting panels, ventilation/exhaust systems which includes fans, motors, 2400 volt breakers,
filters housings (upgrade to HEPA filters), and 2 inch and smaller water and steam lines.
Critical Decision 3A approved the procurement and installation of casting furnace, Stack 33, and the
breakers for the switchgears.
Weapons Activities/RTBF/Construction/
10-D-501, Nuclear Facility Risk Reduction, Y-12 Page 186
FY 2012 Congressional Budget