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60th Anniversary
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Y-12 National Security Complex—Protecting America's Future

Want to know more?

The Complex at a glance

Y-12's Missions

Y-12's Contractor History

NNSA's Role at Y-12

Interesting References

Notable Quotes

 


Sixty Years Ago
On a cold February morning 60 years ago (February 18, 1943), ground was broken in rural East Tennessee for the first production building at the Y-12 Electromagnetic Separation Plant. The plant's job was to make enough enriched uranium for a new kind of bomb, an atomic bomb. In a short time Bear Creek Valley, where the plant is located, was filled with machinery and round-the-clock bustle of people on a mission. At its peak in 1945, more than 22,000 workers were employed at the site in Oak Ridge. Thirty months later the success of Y-12's mission was announced to the world when after two atomic weapons were detonated, the Empire of Japan surrendered and World War II ended.

At the end of the war, the mission of Y-12 changed. The United States was pursuing the development of a new, even more powerful weapon, and Y-12 would play key part in the production of thermonuclear weapons.

Today at Y-12
Today, Y-12 is a unique national asset in the manufacture, processing and storage of special materials that are vital to our national security and is contributing to the prevention of the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

Y-12 is pursuing an aggressive program of infrastructure reduction, modernization and investment in technology to make the plant as safe and efficient as possible and to improve production capabilities.

Y-12 also is making a significant investment in personnel development, hiring more than 900 new employees in 2002. Y-12 is in the process of tearing down old buildings, planning new state-of-the-art facilities, revitalizing the workforce, and bringing in new technology to ensure that Y-12 will continue to meet its vital national security missions.

Y-12 is making all these improvements while maintaining safety, security and environmental stewardship as its highest priorities. This week, the dedicated men and women at Y-12 will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of what is now called the Y-12 National Security Complex. Today Y-12 continues to protect America's future as one of our nation's premier manufacturing facilities critical to the security of our country.
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