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First phase of US enrichment plant expansion starts up

Tuesday, 20 May 2025

Production of enriched uranium has begun in the first new gas centrifuge cascade installed as part of Urenco USA's expansion of its plant in New Mexico.

First phase of US enrichment plant expansion starts up — Urenco USA operators carry out routine work outside the cascade hall (Image: Urenco USA)

The new cascade is the first of several that are planned to come online by early 2027 as the National Enrichment Facility undergoes a 15% increase capacity. The installation of the new centrifuges was completed last year.

Urenco USA is currently the only commercial producer of enriched uranium in the USA. Its National Enrichment Facility, in Eunice, has been enriching uranium since 2010 and, according to the company, is a key US strategic asset, and an essential part of national energy infrastructure and the US nuclear fuel supply chain.

The company announced its plans to increase capacity at the plant by 15% in 2023, and the installation of the first new centrifuges was completed last year.

"Our experienced team of employees at Urenco USA continues to deliver on our plans for expanding America’s uranium enrichment capacity to support our utility customers with a long-term and reliable domestic supply of enriched uranium,” said John Kirkpatrick, managing director of Urenco USA.

The New Mexico facility represents a commercial investment to date of more than USD5 billion in US manufacturing, Urenco USA said.

Urenco USA currently has the capacity to meet approximately one-third of the enrichment needs of US commercial nuclear power plants, and is evaluating potential additional expansion subject to market demand and underpinned by contracts.

Prior to the new cascade being added, the capacity of the plant was 4.3 MSWU. The overall expansion will add 700,000 SWU, with additional cascades being installed and brought online steadily over the next two years.

The capacity expansion is part of a mid to long term plan to refurbish and extend Urenco’s enrichment capacity across its sites in the USA and Europe. It is also building a new enrichment hall at its Almelo enrichment plant in the Netherlands and is to build a uranium enrichment facility with the capacity to produce up to 10 tonnes of HALEU per year at Capenhurst in the UK by 2031.

Article researched and written by WNN's Claire Maden