Lynchburg, Virginia
Overview
BWXT Nuclear Operations Group, Inc., (BWXT NOG) located in Lynchburg, Virginia, is a commercial facility that manufactures naval nuclear reactor cores for submarines and aircraft carriers.
This facility is also the only domestic supplier of research reactor fuel elements for colleges, universities, and national laboratories. This site is capable of converting or downblending high-enriched uranium into high assay low-enriched (HALEU) and low-enriched fuel for use in power generation, research, or medical applications.
The site’s Specialty Fuel Facility is the only U.S. location to manufacture irradiation-tested uranium oxycarbide TRISO fuel using production-scale equipment. BWXT has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy in support of TRISO-based fuel development and qualification for more than 15 years and is currently producing TRISO under contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA.
Our Lynchburg site is one of only two privately-owned, highly secure, Category I nuclear facilities licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to store and process highly enriched uranium (BWXT’s Erwin, Tennessee site is the other).
Mission
While operating safely and at the highest levels of regulated compliance, NOG-L manufactures precision nuclear components with a highly trained and valued workforce composed of the nation's most innovative minds. We achieve our goals and create value for our customers through our continuous improvement philosophy and through the application of our core competencies.
Recent Accomplishments
- Continued to receive high ratings from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for licensee performance
- Became one of only two commercial U.S. facilities licensed to possess and process highly enriched uranium
- Accepted as an Exemplary Environmental Enterprise (E3) by the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program for our development and implementation of Environmental Management Systems
Infrastructure
- The Lynchburg site resides on 497 acres. Four and a half miles of asphalt road are on the property, as are more than one mile of security fencing and barriers. The facility has approximately 1 million square feet under roof.
- An on-site waste treatment facility treats all liquid effluents generated here. Waste is neutralized, and solids are removed before discharge. All discharges are monitored to ensure compliance with state and NRC limits. The facility also recycles solid waste with a recovery cost of up to $1 million.
Workforce
- Lynchburg's workforce consists of approximately 2,150 employees, both hourly and salary. Its highly skilled personnel include machinists, engineers, technicians, security officers, and administrative staff.
- Lynchburg's security organization ensures compliance with DOE and NRC regulations that safeguard sensitive defense technology information and nuclear material. Protective measures implemented at this facility since 9/11 have achieved showcase status within the NRC licensee community.
Community Impact
BWXT NOG has an estimated $360 million annual impact on the Lynchburg-area economy. In addition to its economic impacts, this site contributes to the quality of life in Central Virginia through its support of social service agencies and programs. BWXT employees are engaged in a variety of local volunteer projects, and our company contributes both time and funding (e.g., via sponsorships) to programs of local impact.