Sept 30 (Reuters) - BWX Technologies ( BWXT ) said on

Tuesday it has been awarded a 10-year contract valued at $1.6

billion by the National Nuclear Security Administration to help

establish the supply of high purity depleted uranium, or HPDU,

to be used for U.S. defense purposes.

Under the contract, the nuclear components maker will

initiate requirements to build an HPDU manufacturing plant in

Jonesborough, Tennessee, which will produce up to 300 metric

tons of HPDU annually.

"This capability will supply the Y-12 National Security

Complex (Y-12) with depleted uranium for production use and will

ensure NNSA's ability to modernize and maintain the nuclear

deterrent," the National Nuclear Security Administration said in

a separate statement on Tuesday.

The Tennessee-based Y-12's primary mission is to support the

Department of Energy's nuclear weapons stockpile maintenance

program. It also provides the enriched uranium for the U.S.

Navy's nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.

Earlier this month, the company secured a $1.5 billion

contract from the semi-autonomous nuclear agency, part of the

DOE, to develop a domestic uranium enrichment plant in Erwin,

Tennessee.

In July, BWX secured a $2.6 billion order to manufacture

naval nuclear reactor components.