Advanced reactors and SMR programs consuming HALEU — TerraPower, X-energy, Kairos, Oklo and fleet demand
Thorizon and Urenco have signed an MoU to cooperate on the molten salt reactor fuel cycle, aligning with Urenco's upcoming HALEU production at Capenhurst.
The deployment timelines for Oklo and NuScale SMRs underscore the urgent need for HALEU. While reactors are expected online by 2028 to the early 2030s, domestic fuel supply remains a critical bottleneck.
Next-generation nuclear companies like Oklo and NuScale are experiencing extended deployment timelines, pushing SMR rollouts to the late 2020s or early 2030s. These delays impact the near-term demand trajectory for HALEU, despite massive supply agreements and advanced reactor designs.
X-energy's subsidiary Triso-X has completed the construction of its TX-1 advanced nuclear fuel facility and secured the first NRC HALEU fuel fabrication license, supporting the deployment of Xe-100 SMRs.
The NRC has issued the first commercial non-light-water reactor construction permit to TerraPower's Natrium plant in Wyoming. However, the project faces a two-year delay until 2030 due to the lack of domestic commercial HALEU capacity.
X-energy's Xe-100 advanced small modular reactors are securing major commercial customers, including Dow, Amazon, and Centrica. The upcoming TX-1 fuel plant will provide the necessary HALEU TRISO fuel to power this growing fleet of next-generation reactors.
Framatome has signed the world's first commercial contract to deliver nuclear fuel reloads with uranium-235 enrichment above the 5% standard to an operating US reactor, signaling growing demand for higher assay fuels.
Multiple advanced reactor developers, including X-energy, Antares Nuclear, and Radiant, have secured definitive HALEU supply agreements with Centrus Energy, validating the accelerating commercial demand for next-generation fuel.
The White House's plan to quadruple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050 to power AI data centers is accelerating the demand for HALEU. With the DOE forecasting domestic demand to reach 50 metric tons annually, advanced reactor designs are pushing the limits of current enrichment bottlenecks.
Next-generation Small Modular Reactors require HALEU to reduce size and extend fuel cycles. Industry partners and INL are collaborating to test new TRISO fuel varieties to support these advanced reactor designs.
Hyperscale data center operators and Small Modular Reactor developers are accelerating HALEU demand to secure 24/7 baseload power for AI and military applications.
Centrus Energy and X-energy signed a definitive long-term contract for LEU and HALEU enrichment services to support the Xe-100 SMR fleet. The agreement includes prepayments to help expand domestic commercial enrichment capacity in Ohio.