DOE Awards $150 Million Contract to Centrus for HALEU Production

In a significant move to bolster the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new HALEU operations program structured in three distinct phases. Phase I targets the production of 20 kg, Phase II scales up to 900 kg, and Phase III aims for a production rate of 900 kg per year. To execute this ambitious roadmap, the DOE awarded a $150 million contract to American Centrifuge Operating (ACO/Centrus) on November 30, 2022, to produce high-assay, low-enriched uranium.

Expanding the Piketon Facility

The US Department of Energy is actively supporting the development of a robust domestic HALEU supply chain to meet the growing demands of advanced reactors. Centrus has received government contracts to build and launch a demonstration centrifuge cascade at its Piketon, Ohio plant. Building on this momentum, the company has announced plans to significantly expand the Piketon facility to increase both low-enriched uranium (LEU) and HALEU production capabilities.

The expansion of the Piketon facility is projected to create 1,000 construction jobs and 300 operational jobs, while retaining 150 existing staff members.

This massive infrastructure investment underscores the critical importance of domestic enrichment capacity. By scaling up operations at Piketon, Centrus will not only fulfill its DOE contracts but also position itself to meet the commercial demand for HALEU from next-generation reactor developers. The transition from a demonstration cascade to a full-scale commercial operation requires substantial financial and technical resources, making the DOE's $150 million contract a vital catalyst for the project.

The successful expansion of the Piketon plant will be a cornerstone of the US strategy to eliminate its reliance on foreign sources of HALEU. As advanced reactor designs move closer to commercialization, having a reliable, domestic source of HALEU is essential for national security and the global competitiveness of the US nuclear industry.

This article was assisted by AI analysis. Please refer to the original source for official information.