BWXT, ORNL formalize collaboration to bolster uranium enrichment for U.S. defense

BWXT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month to advance the Domestic Uranium Enrichment Centrifuge Experiment in support of the Department of Energy's priority to reestablish a reliable domestic supply of unobligated enriched uranium for national defense missions.

The MOU formalizes the recently developed collaboration on DUECE to produce low-enriched uranium for tritium production and highly enriched uranium for naval nuclear propulsion and builds on many years of a successful ORNL/BWXT relationship. This partnership aligns with the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration strategy to build critical supply chains, achieve technological readiness milestones and ensure timely capabilities for enduring defense needs. The MOU follows NNSA's $1.5 billion contract award to BWXT for DUECE licensing, manufacturing development, construction and operations.

As the design authority for DUECE technology, ORNL has led research and development since 2016, drawing on its historic expertise in uranium enrichment dating back to the Manhattan Project. BWXT, supporting U.S. defense fuels and Navy nuclear programs for decades, brings classified manufacturing and operational capabilities to the project. The company's new Centrifuge Manufacturing Development Facility will support enrichment plant activities in Erwin, Tennessee. The collaboration will now focus on deployment of DUECE technology.

"This MOU solidifies our shared commitment to the DOE's vital defense priorities by combining ORNL's innovative centrifuge designs with BWXT's proven industrial expertise," said Stephen Streiffer, ORNL laboratory director. "Together, we're restoring a capability the U.S. hasn't had since 2013 to enable a secure supply of enriched uranium for the nation's defense."