THE FACILITY

Explore Honeywell’s Metropolis Works

Step into the heart of our operations at Honeywell’s Metropolis Works, where technological innovation meets operational excellence in the production of high-performance materials.

Metropolis, Illinois uranium hexafluoride processing facility

The Honeywell Uranium Hexafluoride Processing Facility, a uranium conversion facility, is located 1.9 miles (3 km) northwest of Metropolis, Illinois, United States.

Operational Excellence

Honeywell introduced Six Sigma as a powerful strategy to accelerate improvements in processes, products, and services, and to radically reduce manufacturing and/or administrative costs and improve quality. Honeywell has recently developed a new generation of Six Sigma, called Six Sigma Plus, that empowers its employees with the skills and tools necessary to create more value for its customers, and improve its processes, products, and services.

Health, Safety & Security Excellence

At any industrial facility, occupational health and safety is a significant concern. Honeywell-MTW works diligently to create a “zero-loss” safety culture by conducting preventive safety, loss prevention and occupational health programs, and requiring that equipment and operating practices meet all applicable regulatory requirements. Working with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Honeywell-MTW strives to establish systems that ensure the integrity of its facility and the safety of the surrounding community.

History

Built in 1958, the Honeywell Metropolis Works Facility is the only uranium hexafluoride conversion facility in the United States.

The plant feeds U3O8 yellowcake received from uranium mines and produces uranium hexafluoride gas for enrichment at one of the primary enrichment sites around the world. After being enriched, the product is fabricated into nuclear fuel that ends up generating electricity at a nuclear power plant.

Mid 1950s

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) projects conversion needs to meet uranium requirements for nuclear power reactors

1955

AEC invites industry bids

1956

Allied awarded five-year contract (1959-1964)

1957

Ground broken for plant construction

1958

Plant completed

1959

First UF6 deliveries to AEC

1964

AEC contract completed; plant mothballed

1966

Studies support operating MTW as a private conversion facility

1967

Rehabilitation of UF6 plant completed

1968

First deliveries to customers under toll conversion contracts
Plant capacity expanded to 9,000 mtU as UF6

1975

Plant capacity expanded to 11,500 mtU as UF6

1982

Calcium fluoride recovery process completed

1992

Formation of ConverDyn

1994

Uranium auger sampling system completed

1995

Plant capacity expanded to 12,700 mtU as UF6

2001

Re-engineering raises plant capacity to over 14,000 mtU as UF6

2007

10 year license renewal granted by the U.S. NRC
Expansion completed to raise nameplate capacity to 17,600 mtU as UF6

2012 – 2013

Post-Fukushima seismic upgrades

2020

license extension to 2060

2017 – 2023

Temporary shutdown from 2017 to 2023 due to poor market conditions

2023

Successful restart of MTW in July 2023