A general view of the Oak Ridge Y-12 nuclear installation in Tennessee, USA. The history of a nuclear plant at Oak Ridge dates back to 1942, when a factory was built to separate the uranium isotopes needed for the Manhattan Project, the development of the World's first atomic bomb. Since World War II, Oak Ridge has remained dedicated to the development and manufacture of nuclear weapons. The Y-12 plant visible here is now operated by the Union Carbide corporation.