Kiewit to lead pre-FEED for Aternium’s $1bn heavy water and hydrogen project

Aternium has engaged Kiewit Engineering Group to conduct pre-FEED work for a $1 billion multi-plant facility in the Mid-Atlantic region. The project aims to produce both clean hydrogen and heavy water domestically, addressing a critical supply chain vulnerability for industries including semiconductors and fusion energy.

Aternium, a developer of heavy water and clean hydrogen infrastructure, has selected Kiewit Engineering Group Inc. to perform preliminary front-end engineering and design (pre-FEED) for its inaugural production facility. The project forms the first phase of a $1 billion multi-plant initiative planned for the Mid-Atlantic region.

According to company disclosures, the facility will utilize a patent-pending process to co-produce high-purity clean hydrogen and heavy water, also known as deuterium. The selection of Kiewit, an engineering and construction firm with extensive energy sector experience, marks a key execution milestone. Heavy water is a critical material for semiconductor fabrication, fiber-optic cables, OLED displays, and nuclear fusion fuel, yet current domestic production capacity is nonexistent, with supply concentrated in countries including China and Iran.

For investors and industrial stakeholders, the project’s significance lies in its dual-market approach. By coupling hydrogen output with heavy water isolation, Aternium aims to achieve cost advantages in clean hydrogen while mitigating a strategic materials dependency.

The initiative is positioned to create workforce development opportunities in the Mid-Atlantic region, aligning with federal priorities to reshore critical supply chains. Aternium is a US-based developer focused on integrated heavy water and clean hydrogen production infrastructure.

Kiewit Engineering Group Inc., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, provides engineering, procurement, and construction services across the energy and industrial sectors.