Aternium's $380 Million Hydrogen and Heavy Water Plant Joins Delaware's JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator
Dover, in Kent County, Delaware, is set to host a $380 million hydrogen and heavy water production facility. Governor Matt Meyer announced on October 30 that the proposed plant by Delaware-based clean hydrogen startup Aternium has been accepted into the state's JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator, which coordinates permitting across state agencies.
The facility, planned for the Garrison Oak Business and Technology Park in Dover, would produce high-purity hydrogen for Mid-Atlantic customers and heavy water, also known as deuterium oxide, for the pharmaceutical, semiconductor, defense and advanced technology industries. It is expected to create approximately 50 permanent technical, engineering, operations and manufacturing jobs with salaries in the low six figures, along with hundreds of construction jobs. The United States currently relies on imported heavy water, and the governor's office said the Dover facility could help bring production of the specialized material back to the U.S. and strengthen domestic supply chains.
“When a company chooses Delaware, our job is to make sure government helps them succeed instead of standing in their way,” Governor Matt Meyer said. Andrew Cottone, founder and CEO of Aternium, said America needs a reliable domestic supply of heavy water and that the Dover facility would power Mid-Atlantic industry with high-purity hydrogen and create high-paying careers.
The project is currently in the planning phase, and local, state and third-party approvals have not yet begun. Construction is expected to begin in late November 2027, with an estimated 18-month construction period. The announcement builds on earlier state support: in September 2025, the Delaware Division of Small Business awarded Aternium $1 million through the State Small Business Credit Initiative's Delaware Accelerator and Seed Capital Program.
Established through Executive Order 18, the JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator gives accepted projects a single point of contact, streamlines interagency reviews and targets completion of complex state permitting reviews within 120 business days while maintaining Delaware's environmental, public safety and regulatory standards. Previously accepted projects span housing, energy, broadband and critical infrastructure.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Dover 的特拉华州议会大厦。照片：RJmakes，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover. Photo by RJmakes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
