OAK RIDGE, TENN. --  The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a five-year, $6.3 billion extension to its current management and operating contractor, UT-Battelle, LLC, for the continued operation of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tenn., the Department’s Under Secretary David Garman announced during remarks to the East Tennessee Economic Council today.

“UT-Battelle has made significant contributions to the Oak Ridge community and to the Department,” Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said.  “ORNL’s world-class facilities and scientific talent are indispensable to the energy, economic and national security of the nation.” 

As one of the Department’s major, multi-program national laboratories, ORNL is an international leader in a range of scientific areas that support the Department of Energy’s missions.  The laboratory’s six major scientific competencies include neutron science, energy, high performance computing, complex biological systems, advanced materials and national security.

ORNL is the site of the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source that will be the world’s foremost center for neutron science research when completed in 2006.  ORNL is also the site of the Office of Science’s National Leadership Computing Facility for unclassified high-performance computing.

“This extension demonstrates the department’s commitment to scientific research and also our confidence in the people of Oak Ridge National Laboratory,” Under Secretary Garman said. 

The contract extension, signed earlier this fall, will run through March 31, 2010.

UT-Battelle, which was formed specifically to bid on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory contract in 1999, is comprised of the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute based in Columbus, Ohio.  DOE announced its decision to extend the contract in December 2004.

More information about the laboratory is available at http://www.ornl.gov/.

Media contact(s):
Jeff Sherwood, 202.586.5806
John Shewairy, 865.576.0885