Naval Nuclear Propulsion Contracts Rise to $898.5M

Basic Nuclear Propulsion
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The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC has recently issued a trio of naval nuclear power related contract modifications, worth a total of $898.5 million. Specific contracts included:

KAPL Inc. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, NY received a $138.6 million cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-00-C-4011) for naval nuclear propulsion work at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory.

Work will be performed in Schenectady, NY. That is also where Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. of Pittsburgh, PA will be working on a recent $279.2 million contract for naval nuclear propulsion components.

Meanwhile, another Bechtel subsidiary, Bechtel Bettis Inc. at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in West Mifflin, PA, received a $480.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-98-C-4064) for naval nuclear Propulsion work at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. Work will be performed in West Mifflin, PA.

CVN-21 Concept

Work completion dates or additional information is not provided on Naval nuclear propulsion program contracts as a matter of policy. Nevertheless, GlobalSecurity.org notes that:

“Bettis [Atomic Power Laboratory] is engaged solely in the design and development of naval nuclear propulsion plants. The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program is a joint Navy/DOE program responsible for all matters pertaining to Naval nuclear propulsion. This Program is distinct from the remainder of DOE both by Presidential Executive Order and by statute.

The Lab provides technical support for the safe and reliable operation of existing Naval reactors. Bettis designed reactor plants for the first nuclear-powered submarine (USS Nautilus), the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (USS Enterprise), all of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, and the USS Seawolf. ...A major new initiative for the Laboratory is design of the nuclear propulsion plants and electrical power systems for the next class of US Navy aircraft carriers.”