US military and surveillance company Palantir, a data analytics software developer, and nuclear fuel company Centrus Energy, have revealed details of a partnership that uses Palantir’s AI-driven software tools in support of Centrus’s expansion of its uranium enrichment capacity.
Centrus is the only US-owned company currently enriching uranium and recently committed to a commercial-scale expansion of its uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio. The aim is to reduce US dependence on foreign, state-owned enterprises that currently control the world’s uranium enrichment capacity.
Centrus is leveraging Palantir’s Foundry and Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) to integrate disparate systems across classified and unclassified environments, utilising AI to optimise project controls, engineering, manufacturing execution, supply chain management, and regulatory compliance.
Since the partnership began in late January, Centrus and Palantir have already identified nearly $300m in potential cost savings and efficiencies. Project execution is a key focus area and Centrus is rapidly de-risking it. Additional improvements have been identified that are expected to reduce manufacturing lead times and accelerate the timetable for bringing new uranium enrichment capacity online.
“Centrus has developed and proven America’s most advanced uranium enrichment technology, and this expansion marks the moment when we scale it for commercial deployment,” said Centrus President & CEO Amir Vexler. “By integrating Palantir’s powerful tools and proven techniques into our manufacturing we are positioned to meet and exceed all operational excellence goals.”
He added: “The nearly $300m in savings we have identified to date are only the beginning. This partnership builds on our recently announced EPC partnership with Fluor and demonstrates Centrus’ day-one commitment to bring in lead times and reduce unit costs for this project. It strengthens our ability to deliver a reliable, American–owned source of enriched uranium to support the nation’s energy security and the next generation of advanced reactors.”
Palantir Industrials EVPs Joanna Peller and Tom McArdle noted: “By building a unified ontology that connects the Centrus nuclear manufacturing continuum, we’re enabling accelerated production timelines and optimized decision-making across their entire value chain. This partnership demonstrates how AI-powered software can drive measurable impact in critical infrastructure projects that are vital to America’s energy security and national competitiveness.”
