OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge announced it is drawing back operations in response to COVID-19.
Y-12 said it is transitioning to mission-critical operations, saying key mission activities related to stockpile stewardship and modernization, key infrastructure and reestablishment of production capabilities will continue. It will also continue work on its uranium processing facility.
Other operations are being limited. Employees that can telework remotely are told to continue doing so, and all non-essential plant personnel have been told to leave the site until further notice. Y-12 said the measures come in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in East Tennessee.
Y-12 said it does not have a precise timetable on how long the reduced operations will last, but said the containment phase is currently planned for at least six weeks.
"The transition process to safe and stable condition will take approximately two weeks, and we anticipate at least two weeks in that condition. Once the decision to resume full operations is made, the transition back to the state of readiness will take another two weeks," Kathryn King with Y-12 Communications said.