Aternium to Build First U.S. Heavy Water and High-Purity Hydrogen Production Facility in Delaware

Aternium announced on August 4 that it has selected Dover, Delaware, as the site for its first commercial heavy water and electrolytic hydrogen production facility. The company has reached a definitive sales agreement for a parcel within Garrison Oak Technical Park, with the transaction expected to close by mid-Q4 2026.

The project will serve as Aternium's flagship production initiative in the United States, planned to produce heavy water (deuterium oxide) and high-purity hydrogen. According to company disclosures, the project is expected to bring at least $226 million in capital investment to Dover, create dozens of direct and supporting jobs, and generate hundreds of construction jobs during the build-out phase.

Aternium stated that one of the facility's construction goals is to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. deuterium supply chain. Deuterium is a critical material used in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, advanced electronics, nuclear energy, defense, and fusion energy applications. Currently, the United States lacks commercial-scale domestic heavy water production capacity, leaving key industries dependent on external supplies.

Aternium founder and CEO Andrew Cotton said that Dover is the right location for the company to launch its plan to build critical U.S. supply chains. Once operational, the facility will help secure domestic supplies of essential materials and serve demand from advanced manufacturing, energy technology, and other sectors.

Under the plan, the Dover plant will be the first project in Aternium's network of production sites in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. As market demand grows, the company plans to build on this facility to establish stable, scalable supply capacity. Its subsequent growth strategy also includes developing additional production facilities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Aternium is currently advancing engineering design, permitting approvals, and related coordination efforts. Headquartered in the United States, the company specializes in large-scale production of high-purity hydrogen and heavy water, with business focus areas including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and critical supply chain assurance.