NNSA selects BWXT for DUECE Pilot Plant Award

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) awarded a sole-source contract to BWXT Enrichment Operations, LLC for the licensing, manufacturing development, facility construction, and operations of a Domestic Uranium Enrichment Centrifuge Experiment (DUECE) pilot plant. This effort advances NNSA's modular build out of an unobligated uranium enrichment capability to provide nuclear fuel for defense requirements. The pilot plant scope will take place through an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle valued at $1.5 billion, utilizing discrete task orders.

The DUECE pilot plant is required to reach key technological readiness milestones in support of NNSA's strategy to establish a reliable and economic supply of unobligated enriched uranium for defense purposes, specifically low-enriched uranium (LEU) for tritium production, and highly enriched uranium (HEU) for naval nuclear propulsion. Partnering with commercial industry for this pilot plant helps to establish critical supply chains for enduring defense enrichment requirements and ensures capabilities are ready on time to support mission need dates. The DUECE technology will not be used to produce enriched uranium for the commercial nuclear power industry.

The decision to sole source the DUECE pilot plant contract to BWXT Enrichment Operations, LLC will allow NNSA to streamline the pilot plant deployment, ensure timely execution to meet defense mission needs, and provide the best value solution to the government.

As the design authority for the DUECE technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will continue to pursue DUECE technology development. The deployment of a DUECE pilot plant is the natural progression of ongoing technology maturation efforts, and NNSA remains committed to continued collaboration with ORNL to advance the reestablishment of enrichment capabilities for defense needs.