The U.S. Department of Energy has announced 2.7 billion dollars to strengthen domestic uranium enrichment over the next decade, a move aimed at rebuilding a supply chain that has relied heavily on foreign sources. The investment expands U.S. capacity for low enriched uranium and jumpstarts production of high assay low enriched uranium, known as HALEU, which advanced reactors require.
Three companies received task orders of 900 million dollars each. American Centrifuge Operating and General Matter were selected to create domestic HALEU enrichment capacity, while Orano Federal Services will expand domestic low enriched uranium capacity. The department also awarded an additional 28 million dollars to Global Laser Enrichment to advance next generation enrichment technology for the nuclear fuel cycle.
The funding targets a specific vulnerability. Developing domestic production of both low enriched and high assay low enriched uranium is intended to ensure adequate fuel for the nation's 94 commercial reactors and to support future deployments of advanced reactors that depend on HALEU. Once operational, the new capacity is expected to help U.S. utilities comply with regulations that ban Russian uranium imports after 2028.
The awards represent one of the largest federal commitments to the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle in decades. By coordinating government funding with private enrichment operators, the program seeks to close a gap that could otherwise constrain both the existing reactor fleet and the wave of advanced reactor projects now entering construction.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy - https://www.energy.gov/articles/us-department-energy-awards-27-billion-restore-american-uranium-enrichment