Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. Hurricane Helene impacts
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the storm impact the Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) site?
BWX Technologies’ Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) site in Erwin, Tennessee continues recovery activities today with a limited workforce following impacts from Hurricane Helene. In advance of flooding, NFS placed the site into a safe and stable state and released all non-essential personnel to return to their homes after conferring with local law enforcement on a safe path of travel for employees.
The site, which is located above the 500-year floodplain, experienced only minor flooding in areas. One offsite warehouse experienced significant flooding. Water carried NFS property away from the warehouse; however, none of these items pose a risk to the community or the environment. These items include unused containers, training equipment and new personal protective equipment. NFS is coordinating with local emergency management teams on recovery.
When will the site reopen?
NFS remains focused on employee safety, community recovery and returning the site to operational status. We are working with local utilities to determine a timeline for restart. Operational status depends on a number of external factors outside our control, such as road and utility infrastructure repairs.At present, only essential personnel are working at the Erwin site.
Employees with questions about payroll, benefits or other Human Resources questions are asked to contact their supervisor or HR business partner. If you’re unsure who to call, please dial 423-270-5799 and leave a message.
What kind of work is performed at NFS?
NFS manufactures nuclear fuel for the reactors that power U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers. The site also converts Cold War-era government stockpiles of uranium into material suitable for further processing for commercial nuclear reactor fuel. More recently, the company was awarded a contract to complete an engineering study to evaluate options for deployment of a centrifuge pilot plant to establish a domestic uranium enrichment capability for national security. NFS directly employs more than 1,000 people, with several hundred additional contract workers onsite daily during normal operations. The company is the largest employer in Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Is NFS a nuclear power plant?
NFS is not a nuclear power-generating site, which means that there are no nuclear reactors onsite. NFS is a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Category 1 licensed facility for nuclear fuel processing and manufacturing.
How does NFS keep the public, environment and employees safe?
The company works closely with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to control radiological, chemical and other hazards to the site workers, the public, and the environment to safe levels. The NRC has stationed a full-time, independent inspector at the site who reviews and oversees the environmental and safety performance of workers and equipment.
What is BWX Technologies, Inc. doing to help the community?
While our teams are working to ensure a safe restart of operations, many employees have been personally impacted by the storm losing homes and other personal property. The flooding that has swept our communities, homes and businesses has brought immense loss and hardship to thousands of people in central and southern Appalachia. We are working with local agencies to provide assistance and physical resources for the long road to restoration. Many employees are volunteering to aid relief efforts. BWXT has contributed $100,000 to the United Way of Unicoi County to provide direct relief to families impacted by flooding.