Aternium has selected Siemens Energy to support front-end engineering design (FEED) work for a planned clean hydrogen production facility, marking a new step in the company’s efforts to build out large-scale hydrogen and heavy-water infrastructure in the US Mid-Atlantic region. 

Kiewit Engineering Group is carrying out the pre-FEED phase and will work alongside Siemens during the study.

The project is intended to produce clean hydrogen for hard-to-decarbonise industries, with the FEED work focused on standardising and optimising the plant design so it can meet safety, environmental and operational requirements. Aternium says the concept also includes the extraction of heavy water, or deuterium, which has applications in nuclear fusion, semiconductors, fibre-optic cables, organic light-emitting diode displays and pharmaceuticals.

Siemens Energy said the study will help finalise a bespoke design and prepare the project for execution. Aternium chief executive Andrew Cottone said the partnership supports the company’s goal of leading the hydrogen economy by combining chemical manufacturing expertise with advanced digital technology.

The company’s broader Mid-Atlantic strategy envisions a multi-plant hydrogen and heavy-water network, positioning the project as part of the wider shift towards lower-carbon industrial energy systems.