BWXT notifies regulators of plan for uranium enrichment facility

BWX Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) has notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its plan to apply for a uranium enrichment license for a new facility adjacent to its Nuclear Fuel Services facility in Erwin, Tennessee.

The notification allows the NRC to allocate resources for reviewing the license application, which BWXT expects to submit during the first quarter of 2027. The licensing effort supports BWXT's previously announced $1.5 billion contract with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

The facility aims to restore domestic uranium enrichment capability for national defense and naval propulsion missions. BWXT will work with regulators during the pre-application engagement process to develop a detailed license application covering facility design, safety systems, security programs and environmental requirements.

"Establishing reliable U.S. enrichment capacity is critical to ensuring the long-term availability of fuel for naval nuclear propulsion and other national security needs," said Rex D. Geveden, BWXT's president and chief executive officer.

The enrichment facility will use technology developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the NNSA-funded Domestic Uranium Enrichment Centrifuge Experiment. The project will initially demonstrate enrichment in a production environment and ultimately produce highly enriched uranium for the NNSA Naval Reactors program.

Operations are expected to begin around 2035, creating approximately 100 jobs. BWXT selected the Erwin site for its proximity to existing nuclear operations and skilled workforce.

In January, BWXT opened its Centrifuge Manufacturing Development Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which serves as the company's hub for designing and testing advanced gas centrifuge machines.

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