Centrus Energy Expands Unobligated HALEU Supply for Advanced Reactors
Centrus Energy Corp. has announced significant multiyear contracts with microreactor developers Radiant and Antares Nuclear to supply high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). Deliveries to both innovative companies are scheduled to begin by 2030, marking a major milestone for the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain. Notably, Antares was recently selected for the U.S. Army’s $2.2 billion Janus Program to develop tiny nuclear reactors for military use, underscoring the strategic importance of this fuel.
A critical aspect of these new agreements is that the HALEU provided will be entirely unobligated. This means the material will be produced completely within the United States without the use of foreign equipment or materials. Centrus's AC100 centrifuge technology originates in the U.S. and relies on domestic supply chains, positioning the company as the only planned domestic supplier of unobligated HALEU in the country.
Piketon Facility Expansion and Regulatory Milestones
Centrus currently operates the only U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-licensed facility capable of enriching uranium up to 19.75% U-235 at its Piketon, Ohio site. In June 2025, the company successfully fulfilled its Department of Energy (DOE) demonstration contract by producing 900 kg of HALEU uranium hexafluoride.
Centrus is the first company NRC-licensed to produce HALEU and currently the only company licensed to enrich HALEU up to 19.75%.
To meet growing commercial and national security requirements, Centrus is launching a multibillion-dollar expansion at the Piketon facility. The company plans to deploy thousands of additional centrifuges to produce unobligated uranium, anticipating the launch of new commercial capacity by 2029. An August 2026 GAO report highlighted that while the U.S. stockpile of unobligated LEU and HEU could last into the 2040s, there are currently no national security missions requiring unobligated HALEU, making Centrus's commercial and military microreactor focus highly relevant for future defense applications.
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