KENNEWICK — A Tri-Cities area union is encouraging members to support a deal that could lead to a $4.5 billion nuclear fuel production facility in Richland.
Western States Carpenters Local Union 59 asked its members to attend Richland City Council’s Jan. 7 meeting to show support for a 425-acre land deal with an undisclosed company. The project has been called “Project Spin” and “Project Dune” in various documents.
“This groundbreaking project, led by a key partner in the advanced nuclear industry, will leverage the Tri-Cities’ legacy of leadership and innovation in clean energy,” the union posted to social media.
The land deal was added late Monday to the Tuesday agenda.
If built, the project would require a 1 million-square-foot nuclear fuel cycle facility. And it would directly employ 1,000. The project will require licensing approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The carpenters union said the project will be good for members and will bring family-wage jobs to the Tri-Cities.
The Richland Economic Development Committee voted in December to recommend the council support the sale of land in the Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park, an economic development zone carved out of land that was once part of the Hanford site.
The economic development committee referred to the prospective plant as “Project Spin.”
City documents say the company has been awarded a federal Department of Energy contract to provide advanced nuclear fuel after President Biden signed a law banning the import of Russian nuclear fuel last May.
In October, DOE announced that four companies — Louisiana Energy services, Orano Federal services, General Matter and American Centrifuge Operating — would receive a minimum of $2 million to enrich uranium to help the U.S. establish a domestic supply of high-assay, low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, for nuclear fuel.
The enriched uranium would support the demonstration and deployment of advanced reactor technology.
DOE also awarded contracts to six companies to convert HAELU into oxide or metal forms that can be made into nuclear fuel. Those companies are Framatome, BWXT, Centrus, GE Vernova, Orano and Westinghouse.
Project Spin/Dune is one of several billion-dollar-plus economic development deals percolating in Richland. Collectively, they represent a potential investment of nearly $7 billion in carbon-free fertilizer manufacturing (Atlas Agro), nuclear fuel production (Framatome) and titanium melting (ATI).
Richland council sessions are recorded and can be watched on the Richland CityView website. Go to ci.richland.wa.us/home
