The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration has awarded BWX Technologies a 10-year, $1.6 billion contract to establish a supply of high-purity depleted uranium. Under the contract, BWXT will build and operate an HPDU manufacturing facility at its Jonesborough, Tennessee, site and produce up to 300 metric tons of HPDU annually, according to a press release published Tuesday.
Contract Scope
The award encompasses designing the plant, obtaining required licenses, procuring long-lead equipment, preparing the physical site, demonstrating manufacturing readiness and operating the facility.
“This project represents a significant investment in northeast Tennessee and advances the BWXT legacy of supporting mission-critical work for defense purposes,” said Rex Geveden, president and CEO of BWXT. “BWXT acquired the Jonesborough site earlier this year to augment our special materials business line. The HPDU plant supports that growth strategy and enables the U.S. capability to produce this vital material for national security.”
The completed facility is expected to create approximately 175 highly skilled jobs. BWXT subcontractors will support facility build-out and production line work and will hire additional employees for the construction project.
Production Process and Environmental Measures
The HPDU production process converts uranium oxide into usable metal, a process previously performed at Jonesborough and at other U.S. sites. BWXT’s conceptual design will focus on engineered environmental controls and will use solid waste management with no additional liquid discharge into local waterways.
Once completed, the Jonesborough facility will be the only active U.S. site capable of performing the HPDU production process for the government, the company said.
