Centrus Energy Consolidates Supply Chain with Westerman Acquisition and DOE Funding
Centrus Energy is aggressively expanding its domestic uranium enrichment capabilities through strategic acquisitions and significant federal funding. In a major move to secure its supply chain, Centrus announced the acquisition of Westerman Holdings, LLC, a key centrifuge component supplier and manufacturer. The transaction, valued at approximately $116 million, includes $95 million in cash and $21 million in equity. Westerman, which employs around 400 people across four manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, will bring critical manufacturing capacity in-house.
This acquisition directly supports Centrus' multibillion-dollar expansion of U.S.-based uranium enrichment capacity. By integrating a major supplier into its corporate structure, Centrus aims to mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities and accelerate the deployment of its advanced centrifuge technology. The company originally won a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contract in 2019 to build an advanced centrifuge cascade at its Piketon, Ohio plant to demonstrate High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) production.
Federal Support for Commercial-Scale HALEU
To further accelerate this vision, the DOE recently awarded Centrus a massive $900 million task order. This funding is specifically earmarked to expand the Piketon facility toward commercial-scale HALEU production. While the initial demonstration cascade is a crucial first step, this substantial federal investment is designed to bridge the gap between demonstration and full fleet supply for advanced reactors.
The integration of Westerman Holdings and the $900 million DOE task order mark a transformative period for domestic HALEU production, ensuring the U.S. can meet the growing demands of next-generation nuclear reactors.
The first new enrichment capacity from the Piketon facility is expected to come online by 2029. These combined efforts underscore Centrus' commitment to establishing a robust, domestic supply of HALEU, which is critical for national security missions and the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies across the United States.
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