The building is the last of five structures that once enriched uranium for nuclear weapons and commercial nuclear fuel at what is now the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). Demolition personnel at ETTP are preparing to take over work on K-27 from deactivation workers. The emphasis is now on “verification walk downs,” according to a Dec. 29 DOE press release: “Similar to a construction project punch list, the verification walk down checklist confirms that all deactivation work has been completed, including the removal of hazardous and radioactive materials and components that exceed onsite waste disposal limits. When walk downs identify conditions outside of the deactivation plan, crews take actions to correct the inconsistencies and achieve compliance.”
The facility is expected to be declared “criticality incredible” this month, DOE said. That status indicates there are no longer any materials within the building that could create a nuclear criticality – an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction. Previous reports have indicated that demolition of K-27 could also begin this month.