Aternium Proposes a $380 Million Hydrogen and Heavy Water Plant in Dover

DOVER, Del. — Aternium, a Delaware clean hydrogen startup, has proposed a $380 million hydrogen and heavy water production facility at the Garrison Oak Business and Technology Park in Dover, Gov. Matt Meyer announced Oct. 30. The project has been accepted into the state's JobsFirst Permitting Accelerator.

The plant would supply high-purity hydrogen to Mid-Atlantic customers and heavy water to industries such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and defense. It would create approximately 50 permanent technical, engineering, operations and manufacturing jobs, plus construction work. The project is in the planning phase, and local, state and third-party approvals have not yet begun. Construction is expected to start in late 2027 and take about 18 months. The accelerator coordinates permitting and is not a funding program, and the release announces no new incentives.