The National Nuclear Security Administration competitively awarded a contract to BWXT Ordnance Tennessee, a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, Inc., on September 30, 2025, to license, design, and operate a High Purity Depleted Uranium production capability at the company’s site in Jonesborough, Tennessee. The facility will supply the Y-12 National Security Complex with depleted uranium to support NNSA’s Life Extension Programs and joint test assemblies.
What it means
The Jonesborough capability will draw on DOE/NNSA-owned depleted uranium oxides converted at the DOE Portsmouth site, closing what NNSA described as a critical production capability gap. Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs Dave Hoagland said the award “enables NNSA to supply new unalloyed depleted uranium to Y-12 for its essential mission to produce depleted uranium and binary components necessary to maintain the Nation’s deterrent.” The capability will also reduce overall environmental liability for the DOE Office of Environmental Management’s cleanup mission at Portsmouth.
Key facts
- Contracting agency: U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration
- Awardee: BWXT Ordnance Tennessee, a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, Inc.
- Scope: licensing, design, and operation of a High Purity Depleted Uranium production capability
- Facility location: contractor’s site, Jonesborough, Tennessee
- Customer: Y-12 National Security Complex
- Feedstock source: DOE/NNSA-owned depleted uranium oxides converted at the DOE Portsmouth site
- Programs supported: NNSA Life Extension Programs and joint test assemblies
- Award date: September 30, 2025
Source: U.S. Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration news release (energy.gov)