More New Capacity Online at US Uranium Enrichment Plant

Urenco USA brings fifth new cascade online at Eunice, New Mexico facility, bolstering domestic nuclear fuel supply

EUNICE, N.M. — Urenco USA has started up its fifth new gas centrifuge cascade at the National Enrichment Facility, with production beginning on June 22, 2026. The company announced the milestone on June 29, continuing its strong track record of delivering new enrichment capacity ahead of schedule and on budget.

This latest addition forms part of an ongoing expansion program to install 700,000 separative work units (SWU) of new capacity at the site between 2025 and 2027. Previous cascades came online in May 2025 (first), September 2025 (second), December 2025 (third), and April 2026 (fourth, marking the halfway point of the program).

Current Operations and Strategic Importance

Urenco USA’s facility in Eunice, New Mexico, remains the only commercial-scale uranium enrichment plant operating in the United States. It currently has an annual capacity of 4.3 million SWU, sufficient to meet approximately one-third of current U.S. demand for enrichment services.

The plant uses proven gas-centrifuge technology to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) — the fuel for America’s fleet of light-water reactors, which generate nearly 20% of the nation’s electricity. It also positions the facility as a potential source of feedstock for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) needed for advanced reactors.

John Kirkpatrick, Managing Director of Urenco USA, stated: “The prospects for the U.S. nuclear industry are exciting, and we are supporting it with our current capacity installation and the larger projects in the decade ahead. As the U.S. nuclear industry works to grow significantly in the coming years, our teams are demonstrating what is possible when plans become actions and results.”

Major Expansion Announced

Just weeks earlier, on June 2, 2026, Urenco USA announced a transformative, multi-billion-dollar investment to build a new enrichment plant at the same Eunice site. This will add 2.1 million SWU of new capacity using up to 24 additional cascades. Construction is slated to begin in 2029, with initial LEU production in 2032 and full capacity online by 2036.

Combined with the current 700,000 SWU expansion (due for completion in 2027) and planned refurbishments of existing capacity starting in 2027, total installed capacity at the facility is expected to exceed 7 million SWU over the next decade — a near-50% increase from today’s levels.

Boris Schucht, CEO of Urenco Global, noted the expansion reinforces commitment to a resilient U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain and long-term energy security.

U.S. Uranium Enrichment Demand and Supply

U.S. nuclear utilities require roughly 13–15 million SWU per year to fuel the existing reactor fleet. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Uranium Marketing Annual Report, utilities purchased 15 million SWU under enrichment services contracts in 2024.

Demand has remained relatively stable over the last five years (generally in the 14–16 million SWU range annually), reflecting consistent operation of the ~92–94 GW nuclear fleet, though purchases can vary slightly year-to-year based on contract timing, inventory management, and refueling schedules. With growing interest in nuclear power expansion and advanced reactors, demand is expected to rise in the coming decades.

Urenco USA currently supplies about one-third of this need domestically. The ongoing +700,000 SWU program will increase that share, while the new plant will push domestic capacity significantly higher.

Reliance on Imports

The United States has long depended on imported enrichment services. In 2024, 81% of purchased SWU was foreign-origin, with the breakdown including:

• Russia: 20%
• France: 18%
• Netherlands: 15%
• United Kingdom: 9%
• Germany: 7%

(The remaining share came from other sources or U.S.-origin production.) Natural uranium feed (UF₆) delivered to enrichers was also predominantly foreign-sourced.

A U.S. ban on imports of Russian low-enriched uranium (with limited waivers) has accelerated efforts to diversify away from Russian supply. Urenco USA’s expansions directly support the U.S. Department of Energy’s goals to strengthen the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and reduce geopolitical risks.

Looking Ahead

The startup of the fifth cascade represents tangible progress on the ground, while the June 2 announcement signals long-term commitment from private investment. Together, these developments enhance U.S. energy security, support job creation (hundreds during peak construction of the new plant and ongoing operations), and position the Eunice facility as a cornerstone of America’s nuclear renaissance.

As nuclear power expands to meet clean energy and reliability goals, reliable domestic enrichment capacity becomes increasingly vital — and Urenco USA is delivering it step by step.