The Department of Energy and its cleanup manager in Oak Ridge, UCOR, staged another milestone Friday with the final demolition of the former K-31 uranium-enrichment facility, and officials – during sideline interviews at the ceremony – confirmed that DOE had exercised the option that extends the UCOR management contract until mid-2020.“It demonstrates our confidence in UCOR and the great job they’ve done to date,” Sue Cange, DOE’s environmental manager in Oak Ridge, said. “And we look forward to them finishing the job.”
The base period of UCOR’s contract was due to expire in late-April 2016, but the early decision to pick up the option allows future work to be done ahead of schedule. “It gives us flexibility . . . to be able to sequence the work in the way that makes the most sense,” Cange said. “And, of course, we’re trying to maximize the use of the workforce to be as cost-efficient as possible. So it opens the door for us to accomplish those two things.” Rueter said getting the contract option done was “huge” for UCOR. Details are still being negotiated, he said. So far, since 2011, UCOR has saved the federal government about $122 million in cost savings on cleanup projects and is about $26 million ahead of budget on projects still underway, he said.