US BWX Technologies (BWXT) has acquired approximately 97 acres of land in the Horizon Centre Industrial Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to establish an advanced centrifuge manufacturing capability and specialised support services. The project is expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the region over the next decade and attract millions of dollars in further investments.
BWXT said the acquisition “is a signal of BWXT’s intent to support future defence missions by supporting the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and deployment of the Domestic Uranium Enrichment Centrifuge Experiment (DUECE) technology from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for unobligated enriched uranium”.
Kevin McCoy, President of BWXT Government Operations, noted: “The Oak Ridge community is a hub of innovation and nuclear expertise ready to support the NNSA’s national security mission. The deployment of the domestically manufactured DUECE centrifuge resets our nation on the path to energy independence.”
The BWXT Oak Ridge site will support the establishment of a reliable, long-term domestic supply of enriched uranium. The NNSA’s DUECE programme, developed and designed by ORNL, is intended to advance uranium enrichment expertise and technology for current and future US national security needs. According to NNSA, the US Government currently lacks the ability to enrich uranium to support defence missions. This programme is working to establish a new capability in time to meet national security needs using centrifuge technologies.
In August 2024, the NNSA awarded BWXT a year-long engineering contract to evaluate options for deploying a centrifuge pilot plant. That study is progressing on schedule and could inform future potential work at the site.
Following the land acquisition by BWXT, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic & Community Development Commissioner Stuart C McWhorter announced a grant for BWXT Enrichment Operations, a subsidiary of BWXT to support establishing a facility for the manufacturing of centrifuge assemblies in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near ORNL. The amount of the grant was not disclosed. However, a state economic and community development spokesperson said the amount of the grant awarded to BWXT would be posted to its website within 30 days.
As part of the project, BWXT plans to create at least 60 new jobs and invest at least $45m in a new facility to be sited on the newly acquired land. BWXT employs more than 1,140 people in Tennessee, principally at two locations: Nuclear Fuel Services in Erwin and its recently acquired Jonesborough facility.
This will be the third grant awarded from the Tennessee’s Nuclear Energy Fund, which assists nuclear power-related businesses choosing to relocate to the state and supports the state’s educational and research institutions in further developing their nuclear education programmes.
The $50m fund was in Governor Lee’s recommended 2023-2024 budget and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. Another $10m was allocated and approved in the state’s budget during the 2024 legislative session with an additional $10m recommended in the 2025 budget currently in review.
“We created the Nuclear Energy Fund to foster an ecosystem for this industry to grow and thrive, and I am proud to announce another investment supporting Tennessee’s strategy to lead America’s energy independence with clean and reliable nuclear energy. We are proud to partner with BWXT to drive continued economic growth and create greater opportunity for Tennesseans,” said Governor Lee
“With Oak Ridge’s integral role in WWII with the Manhattan Project and forward-thinking leadership from Governor Lee and our General Assembly members in creating the Nuclear Energy Fund, Tennessee is primed to become an epicenter for nuclear industry, said Commissioner McWhorter. “We’re grateful to partner with the Y-12 National Security Complex, ORNL and our other educational institutions across the state in providing the resources to enhance science, technology and training to support companies like BWXT. Congratulations to our partners and BWXT in bringing this project to fruition.”
