The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has authorized startup of the Calciner Project at Y-12 National Security Complex, adding another modernized uranium processing capability.
The calciner converts uranium-bearing liquid solutions from pipes and process equipment into a stable solid form for storage, allowing radioactive material to be removed from legacy facilities and supporting the eventual shutdown of a World War II-era production building. NNSA said in a press release the system replaces an older process that was less efficient and presented greater operational hazards.
“Achieving startup authorization for calciner is an important step for the overall safety, security, and long-term viability of uranium operations for the nation,” NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams said in the agency press release Wednesday. “President [Donald] Trump has made it abundantly clear that we need to move faster and safer than ever before and this project demonstrates that we can meet the demands our deterrent mission dictates.”
The project is part of Y-12’s broader uranium strategy, which aims to lower inventories of nuclear material in older processing facilities, introduce more modern technologies where possible, extend the life of critical infrastructure and prepare for the eventual transition of major uranium operations to the Uranium Processing Facility.
Todd Ailes, the new president and CEO of Y-12 prime contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security, said the new capability will improve both safety and efficiency by reducing operational risk and consolidating uranium storage.
The startup follows last year’s authorization of Y-12’s electrorefining process — the site’s first new nuclear operations startup in roughly two decades. Together, the two projects represent incremental progress in NNSA’s broader effort to recapitalize the nation’s uranium enterprise while maintaining production capabilities needed to support the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile during the transition to the Uranium Processing Facility.