Milestone at the Piketon Facility

Centrus Energy has achieved a significant milestone in domestic nuclear fuel production at its Piketon, Ohio facility. The company's 16 large-scale centrifuge cascades have successfully completed HALEU demonstration production. To date, the facility has cumulatively produced over 1,900 kilograms of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium in the form of uranium hexafluoride (UF6). This achievement marks a critical step in re-establishing a reliable domestic supply of the specialized fuel required for next-generation advanced reactors.

DOE Allocations and Strategic Distribution

The Department of Energy (DOE) is actively leveraging this newly established production capacity. By procuring HALEU from domestic industry partners and utilizing its own assets, the DOE has successfully allocated the material to various key enterprises. Between 2025 and 2026, the department executed three distinct rounds of HALEU distribution. Notable recipients of these strategic allocations include NASA and Radiant Industries, ensuring that critical space and advanced energy projects have the fuel necessary to proceed with their development and testing phases.

Executing the $150 Million DOE Contract

Driving this production is a subsidiary of Centrus, ACO, which holds an active commercial license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the American Centrifuge Plant. ACO is currently executing a vital $150 million contract awarded by the DOE specifically for the production of HALEU. This contract, which spans through 2025, provides the financial and operational foundation for Centrus to scale its demonstration efforts into a commercially viable enterprise, solidifying its position as a leader in the US enrichment sector.

The successful demonstration of HALEU production at Piketon proves that the US can independently manufacture the fuel required for the advanced nuclear renaissance, an industry analyst noted.

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