The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has acquired the LeMond Carbon Facility near the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oakland, Tennessee, closing its first-ever option-to-purchase agreement.
NNSA said Wednesday the arrangement enabled the transfer of nuclear technology development activities from aging Y-12 locations to LeMond even while conducting the required due diligence before the agency completed the purchase.
According to NNSA, the deal allowed some Y-12 work to be moved to modern research equipment and instrumentation at a faster rate than constructing a new building or straight-up purchasing an existing structure.
The transaction is part of an effort to improve the reliability, efficiency and capabilities of NNSA facilities, nearly 60 percent of which are more than four decades old.
“This acquisition is not just a milestone accomplishment for NNSA, but a solution to a known challenge for Y-12 that makes our overall Nuclear Security Enterprise mission safer, more secure, and ultimately more effective,” noted Jim McConnell, associate administrator of safety, infrastructure and operations at the agency.