On October 23, 2008, AREVA and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, a sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation, launched a joint venture called AREVA Newport News, LLC, which will build a new, world-class manufacturing and engineering facility in Newport News, Va. The facility will be dedicated to supplying heavy components both for the U.S. EPR™, AREVA's Generation III+ reactor, and  the growing American nuclear energy industry. AREVA is majority shareholder of the new joint venture.

On July 22, 2009, AREVA and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, a sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation, marked a major step forward in the revival of the U.S. nuclear energy sector as the company’s AREVA Newport News, LLC, joint venture broke ground today on a heavy component manufacturing facility for new nuclear power plants.

 Download the press release (PDF).

Key information: 

  •  The 300,000 square-foot facility represents an investment of more than $360 million in the U.S. commercial nuclear and manufacturing industries and will bring more than 500 skilled hourly and salaried jobs to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

  •  AREVA Newport News will be the first full-scale manufacturing facility dedicated to supply heavy components, such as reactor vessels, steam generators and pressurizers, to the U.S. nuclear energy industry. These complex pieces of equipment require precision manufacturing to meet the rigorous standards of nuclear power plants and require about three years to fabricate. The components will supply the first new U.S. nuclear power plants to be built in 35 years. Industry experts have viewed limited production of heavy components positioned against rising demand as a constraint on nuclear energy’s expansion.

AREVA's and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's experience:

AREVA has been manufacturing quality heavy components for the global commercial nuclear industry for more than 30 years at its Chalon/St. Marcel plant. Together with Northrop Grumman, AREVA Newport News will provide a secure domestic link in the supply chain for deploying the U.S. EPR™ and supporting a diverse energy mix that will mean safe, clean, affordable electricity for Americans.

Northrop Grumman’s Shipbuilding sector brings its heavy industrial engineering and manufacturing expertise and the culture of excellence required to build U.S. Navy nuclear ships to the venture. Along with its skilled workforce, Northrop Grumman has existing transportation access via the James River to deliver heavy components.