US Centrus Energy Corp has produced 900 kilograms of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The production is the first of its kind in the US and marks a key milestone in the Department of Energy’s DOE’s) HALEU Demonstration project to help meet US near-term HALEU needs.
DOE contracted with Centrus subsidiary American Centrifuge Operating in 2019 to construct a cascade of 16 advanced centrifuges in Piketon, Ohio to demonstrate HALEU production. In November 2022, the company was awarded a follow-on contract to start up the cascade and begin HALEU production for DOE use. Centrus began enriching uranium hexafluoride gas into HALEU in 2023 to deliver an initial 20 kgs of material and were then tasked with producing 900 kg by the end of June 2025.
The material will be used as part of DOE’s HALEU allocation process to support the fuel qualification and testing of advanced reactor designs. The Piketon plant is currently the only US facility licensed to enrich uranium up to 19.75% and is the first US-owned plant to start enrichment production since the 1950s.
“Achievement of this milestone further demonstrates the ability of our technology to deliver results for our customers and for the nation,” said Centrus Energy President & CEO Amir Vexler. “As the only source of HALEU enrichment in the Western world, our product is urgently needed to power the next generation of reactors.
“This HALEU demonstration project is critical to the Department’s efforts to ensure there is enough HALEU material to meet the near-term needs of our industry partners as they work to turn on their advanced reactors for the first time,” said Mike Goff, Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. “It’s also an important step in rebuilding the nation’s nuclear fuel supply chain as directed by President Trump’s recent executive orders to expand America’s Dominance agenda.”
DOE recently extended its contract with Centrus to produce an additional 900 kgs over the next year to help support the near-term needs of industry. DOE is also supporting several efforts to provide more access to HALEU. These include recycling used nuclear fuel from government-owned research reactors and competitive awards to incentivise commercial HALEU production and private investment in the nation’s nuclear fuel supply infrastructure.
