First fleet-scale fuel plant in more than 50 years
Westinghouse Electric Company has announced an approximately $1 billion investment to construct one of the most advanced nuclear fuel factories in the United States at its Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in Hopkins, South Carolina. Described as the first fleet-scale nuclear fuel factory built in the United States in more than 50 years, it is expected to lead commercial-scale Low Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+) fuel production. Construction is underway, with production scheduled to start in 2030.
What LEU+ means
LEU+ fuel uses uranium enriched to between 5% and 8% uranium-235, compared with the up to 5% typically used in commercial light-water reactors — placing it inside the broader HALEU enrichment band of roughly 5% to 20%. Westinghouse says the higher enrichment can enable advanced operating plant uprates for near-term expansion of nuclear output, offers flexibility to extend operating cycles, and helps operators lower operating costs, potentially allowing pressurised water reactors to run 24 months between refuelling outages.
The Vogtle milestone
The investment follows the first deployment of Westinghouse LEU+ fuel in the United States in April 2025, when lead test assemblies were loaded into Unit 2 of the Vogtle nuclear power station in Georgia. The assemblies, containing fuel enriched above 5%, were manufactured at the Columbia facility as part of Westinghouse's EnCore fuel programme, supported by the US Department of Energy. Southern Nuclear, the operator of the Vogtle plants, received a licence amendment from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
"A strong American nuclear industry starts with a secure, domestic supply of nuclear fuel. The Department of Energy is investing billions to restore American uranium enrichment capabilities for both low-enriched uranium and high-assay low-enriched uranium," said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Ted Garrish.
Industrial and economic footprint
The expansion is aligned with the United States' UPRISE programme and is expected to enable effective long-term operation of today's nuclear fleet and support industrialisation of AP1000 reactors worldwide. Westinghouse credited DOE's tax credit programme along with state and Richland County government support. An economic impact study commissioned by the company with University of South Carolina researchers estimates the investment could generate $4.9bn in economic activity across the state over the next decade, including $3.8bn in Richland County.
The existing Columbia facility, built in 1968, is one of the largest nuclear fuel plants in the world, producing fuel pellets, fuel rods, fuel assemblies and components. It employs more than 1,200 people. According to South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Westinghouse's Richland County fuel operations power approximately 10% of the United States.
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