The U.S. Department of Energy finalized 2.7 billion dollars in awards to rebuild domestic uranium enrichment, a move aimed at securing fuel supply for the existing reactor fleet and for the advanced reactors now under development. The task orders, finalized on January 5, 2026, span the next ten years and target both low-enriched uranium and high-assay low-enriched uranium, the fuel required by many next-generation designs.
The funding is concentrated among a handful of companies. American Centrifuge Operating received 900 million dollars to build domestic HALEU enrichment capacity, General Matter received 900 million dollars for the same purpose, and Orano Federal Services received 900 million dollars to expand domestic LEU enrichment. An additional 28 million dollars went to Global Laser Enrichment to advance next-generation enrichment technology.
The strategic goal is supply security. The United States operates 94 commercial reactors that depend on enriched uranium, much of which has been sourced abroad, and the country has sought to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, including Russia. Building domestic LEU and HALEU production is intended to ensure an adequate fuel supply for current operations while creating a base to fuel future advanced reactor deployments.
HALEU has become a particular focus because most advanced and small modular reactor designs require it, yet commercial domestic production has been limited. By underwriting multiple enrichment paths at once, the awards are structured to jumpstart a supply chain that private industry has been reluctant to finance alone, supporting both the operating fleet and the next wave of reactors.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy - https://www.energy.gov/articles/us-department-energy-awards-27-billion-restore-american-uranium-enrichment