U.S. Department of Defense Strategic
Capabilities Office Selects BWXT to Manufacture and Deliver Project
Pele Prototype Reactor to Idaho National Laboratory in 2024
BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) will build the first
advanced nuclear microreactor in the United States under a contract
awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic
Capabilities Office (SCO). The Project Pele full-scale
transportable microreactor prototype will be completed and
delivered in 2024 for testing at the Idaho National Laboratory.
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Artist’s rendering of BWXT’s Project Pele
transportable reactor modules arriving for set up and operation.
(Graphic: Business Wire)
SCO has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop,
prototype and demonstrate a transportable microreactor that can
provide a resilient power source to the DoD for a variety of
operational needs that have historically relied on fossil fuel
deliveries and extensive supply lines. Transportable microreactors
deliver clean, zero-carbon energy where and when it is needed in a
variety of austere conditions for not only the DoD, but also
potential commercial applications for disaster response and
recovery, power generation at remote locations, and deep
decarbonization initiatives.
The prototype will be built under a cost-type contract valued at
approximately $300 million, depending on options selected, by BWXT
Advanced Technologies LLC in facilities in Lynchburg, Virginia and
Euclid, Ohio. Over the next two years, BWXT expects that
approximately 120 employees will work on the project, including
roughly 40 skilled trades, engineers and other positions that will
be hired to support this effort and other projects.
“We are on a mission to design, build and test new nuclear
technology to protect the environment while providing power, and we
are thrilled with this competitively bid award after years of hard
work by our design and engineering team,” said Joe Miller, BWXT
Advanced Technologies LLC president. “The entire nuclear industry
recognizes that advanced reactors are an important step forward to
support growing power needs and significant carbon reduction
imperatives.”
Safe Design
The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) will operate at a
power level between 1 and 5 MWe and will be transportable in
commercially available shipping containers. It will be powered by
TRISO fuel, a specific design of high-assay low-enriched uranium
(HALEU) fuel that can withstand extreme heat and has very low
environmental risks.
The transportable reactor core and associated control system is
designed to maintain safety under all conditions, including
transitional conditions throughout transport. The fuel has been
tested and verified to temperatures far exceeding the operating
conditions of the reactor.
The transportable design consists of multiple modules that
contain the microreactor’s components in 20-foot long,
ISO-compliant CONEX shipping containers. The reactor is designed to
be safely and rapidly moved by road, rail, sea or air. The entire
reactor system is designed to be assembled on-site and operational
within 72 hours. Shut down, cool down, disconnection and removal
for transport is designed to occur in less than seven days.
Team Members
A diverse team of experienced companies are joining BWXT to
support delivery and successful operation of the Project Pele
prototype. BWXT is the prime contract and integration lead, and is
responsible for reactor module manufacture. Among the other
companies playing key roles on the team are:
- Northrop Grumman
- Aerojet Rocketdyne
- Rolls-Royce LibertyWorks
- Torch Technologies, Inc.
Testing and Licensing
The reactor and fuel will be safely shipped separately, with
fueling to occur at the test site. Once fueled, the system will
undergo up to three years of testing at Idaho National Laboratory
to confirm performance and operability. The test program will
demonstrate that the reactor can produce reliable off-grid electric
power. Power generated by the reactor will be transferred to load
banks that accurately mimic the operational load that a power
source would see in actual application. In addition, the system
will be disassembled and re-assembled to prove
transportability.
Consistent with the non-commercial nature of the project,
testing and operation of this prototype reactor will proceed under
authorization by the Department of Energy. The Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, consistent with its role as an independent safety and
security regulator, is participating in this project to provide SCO
with accurate, current information on applicable regulations and
licensing processes.
Forward Looking Statement
BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking
statements, including statements relating to the performance,
timing, impact and value, to the extent contract value can be
viewed as an indicator of future revenues, of the SCO contract,
future work with SCO, or the exercise of any contract options.
These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties, including, among other things, modification or
termination of the contract, funding of current or future work, and
delays in and proving the technology. If one or more of these or
other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from
those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other
risk factors, please see BWXT’s annual report on Form 10-K for the
year ended Dec. 31, 2021 and subsequent quarterly reports on Form
10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT
cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and
undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statement, except to the extent required by applicable law.
About BWXT
At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong,
Innovation Driven. Headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, BWXT is a
Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering
innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for
global security, clean energy, environmental remediation, nuclear
medicine and space exploration. With approximately 6,700 employees,
BWXT has 14 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
In addition, BWXT joint ventures provide management and operations
at more than a dozen U.S. Department of Energy and NASA facilities.
Follow us on Twitter at @BWXT and learn more at www.bwxt.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220609005154/en/
Media Contact Jud Simmons Director, Media & Public
Relations 434.522.6462 hjsimmons@bwxt.com
Investor Contact Mark Kratz Vice President, Investor
Relations 980.365.4300 investors@bwxt.com
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