The US Nuclear Security Administration plans to start making plutonium cores at the Savannah River Site.

Plutonium cores trigger nuclear warheads.

The federal agency overseeing the nation’s nuclear weapons recommended last week to split core production between South Carolina and New Mexico.

US Energy Department and the Department of Defense officials said the “evolving and uncertain geopolitical landscape” is the reason they want to increase making plutonium cores to 80 a year by 2030.

“We share a deep commitment to recapitalizing the capabilities the United States’ needs to deter its adversaries and assure our allies and partners,” the statement said.

The Los Alamos National Labratory in northern New Mexico would produce 30 cores a year. The Savannah River site would produce the other 50. The New Mexico site has not produced any plutonium cores since 2011 due to a series of safety violations.

Gov. Henry McMaster has expressed support for moving plutonium core production to the Savannah River site.

This has the potential to open hundreds of jobs and billions of dollars in federal funding.