US firm advances nuclear fuel supply for military, next-gen reactors

Centrus Energy has partnered with engineering firm Fluor to significantly expand its uranium enrichment facility in Piketon, Ohio, marking a key effort to rebuild the United States' domestic nuclear fuel supply chain. Fluor will serve as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor, managing design, supply chain, and commissioning of the new enrichment capacity. This expansion aims to end the U.S.'s decade-long reliance on foreign uranium sources, especially from Russia, following the 2013 closure of the last large-scale domestic enrichment plant. The project is part of Centrus’s broader growth strategy, which includes addressing a $2.3 billion backlog of orders for current nuclear reactors and developing 12 metric tons annually of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for next-generation reactors, supported by a $900 million Department of Energy contract. Additionally, Centrus is investing over $560 million to upgrade its centrifuge manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to support