BWX Technologies has received a contract worth approximately $189 million to manufacture nuclear reactor fuel for the U.S. Navy, the company said Oct. 1.
The award calls for BWXT subsidiary Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) in Erwin, Tenn., to manufacture and deliver fuel for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Work is scheduled to be completed in August 2027, according to the company.
BWXT said its fuel and reactors support the Navy’s Ohio, Virginia, Seawolf, Los Angeles and Columbia-class submarines, as well as Nimitz- and Ford-class aircraft carriers.
“This contract underscores the Navy’s confidence in our decades of disciplined performance,” Howard Markle, president of BWXT’s Nuclear Operations Group, said in a statement.
NFS processes highly enriched uranium to manufacture fuel for all U.S. naval nuclear reactors. The facility has produced nuclear fuel for the Navy for more than 60 years and is a Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed Category 1 nuclear facility, according to BWXT.
The award comes as the Navy continues efforts to expand and modernize its nuclear-powered fleet, including the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program and Virginia-class attack submarines. Naval nuclear fuel production is a critical component of the industrial base supporting those programs.
BWXT has also recently expanded its work across other government nuclear programs. In September, the company was selected to develop a conceptual design for a National Nuclear Security Administration lithium processing facility. In August, the Army selected BWXT’s Advanced Nuclear Reactor for its Janus program, which aims to deploy microreactors at military installations.
The company employs more than 11,000 people and operates 19 manufacturing facilities globally.
BWXT cautioned that the $189 million contract value should not necessarily be viewed as an indicator of future revenue, noting that the agreement remains subject to potential modifications or termination, funding availability and performance delays.