DOE Constructs SRF Accelerator Test Facility at Fermilab

The Department of Energy initiated the second phase of construction of the Superconducting Radio-Frequency (SRF) Accelerator Test Facility in September of 2010. Located at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Ill., the three-building project will include a 460-ft long test accelerator and cryomodules with cavities at a temperatures as low as -456 degrees Fahrenheit. The first phase of construction commenced in March of 2010 and involved the $2.8 million expansion of an existing building. The second phase includes construction of two new buildings at a cost of $4.2 million. The project is supported by $52.7 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment act which will also provide funding for infrastructure and equipment. The general contractor for the project is Barton Malow. Completion is expected in fall of 2011.