U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Awards Amentum Team $95.5 Million Contract to Decommission and Dismantle SM-1A Reactor

CHANTILLY, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Baltimore District has awarded a contract to safely decommission and dismantle the SM-1A Reactor Facility to a team including Amentum. The standalone C-contract contract, with an estimated value of $95.5M over a 6-year ordering period, will integrate and leverage proven innovations to dispose of both hazardous and radioactive materials.

“As a global leader in environmental solutions, our experience in nuclear remediation is extensive,” said Mark Whitney, President of Amentum’s National Security Group. “Amentum will provide the Army Corps of Engineers with advanced engineering capabilities and solutions that have been successful at some of the most challenging environmental cleanup projects in the world.”

Under this new contract, the work will be performed at Fort Greely, Alaska and will include planning, permitting, and engineering, site preparation, demolition and disposal of facilities and components from the defueled nuclear reactor, related wells and utility corridors, and other ancillary facilities. The contract also includes remediation of contaminated soils, a final status survey, and site restoration.

The contract was awarded to the joint venture APTIM-Amentum Alaska Decommissioning, LLC (A3D). Other members of A3D’s team include Heritage – M2C1 Joint Venture, a HUBZone small business location in Delta Junction, AK; Lynden Logistics; Brice Environmental; Oak Ridge Technologies; ReNuke Services; AECOM Technical Services; and Delta Junction Medical.

“Our recent experience performing reactor decommissioning at Fort Belvoir and major U.S. Department of Energy sites will aid in the completion of the work safely and effectively at Fort Greely,” said Jim Blankenhorn, Amentum Senior Vice President of Environment & Security. “The expertise gained over decades of similar projects builds the Army Corps of Engineers’ confidence in our team to address the environmental challenge at Fort Greely.”

The SM-1A reactor achieved criticality in 1962 and was shut down in March of 1972, followed by the removal and disposition of the spent nuclear fuel in 1973. The primary mission of the single-loop, 20.2 megawatt-thermal pressurized water reactor was to establish a cold-weather nuclear power plant to support power to Fort Greely, with a secondary mission to study the economics of operating a nuclear electric power plant as compared to operating a conventional oil-fired system in a remote location.

An on-site kickoff meeting at Fort Greely will in late October 2023, paving the way for our preparatory work at the site. The team is targeting a full mobilization to the site by mid-2024. Project completion is currently anticipated by 2029. Project information can also be found on the USACE website www.nab.usace.army.mil/SM-1A/.

About Amentum

Amentum is a leader in global engineering, project management and solutions integration, trusted to modernize the most critical missions anywhere in the world. Driven to create a safer, smarter, cleaner world, we innovate as a team of inventive doers passionate about making a difference. Underpinned by a strong culture of ethics, safety and inclusivity, Amentum is fiercely committed to operational excellence and successful execution. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, we have more than 44,000 employees in 85 countries in all 7 continents. Visit us at amentum.com to learn how we solve what’s next.

About APTIM

APTIM is a leading professional solutions firm with headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We specialize in environmental services, resilience, sustainability, and energy solutions, as well as technical and data solutions, program management, and critical infrastructure. Our dedicated teammates apply their experience and expertise to provide integrated services and solutions for government agencies, commercial and industrial clients, and energy customers. APTIM commits to accelerating the transition toward a clean and efficient energy economy, building a sustainable future for our communities and natural world, and creating a more inclusive and equitable environment that celebrates the diversity of our people. Learn more at APTIM.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.