DOE Finalizes $900M+ Centrus Contract to Scale US HALEU Enrichment, Bolstering Domestic Nuclear Fuel Security
Corroborated reporting confirms the Centrus-DOE $900M+ HALEU contract as part of a $2.7B federal push to rebuild U.S. domestic uranium enrichment capacity, reducing foreign dependence; multiple official and industry sources validate timelines, amounts, and strategic context.
Centrus Energy has executed a firm fixed-price task order with the U.S. Department of Energy valued at $900 million (with options potentially bringing the total to approximately $1.07 billion) to deploy commercial-scale high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) enrichment capacity at its Piketon, Ohio facility. The contract requires Centrus to deliver one metric ton of HALEU UF6 enriched to 19.75% U-235 by March 2032, while transitioning its existing demonstration cascade— which has already produced and delivered over 1,900 kg of HALEU—to commercial operations.[1][2]
This award, announced in January 2026 and finalized in July 2026, forms part of a broader $2.7 billion DOE initiative awarding task orders to Centrus subsidiary American Centrifuge Operating ($900M for HALEU), General Matter ($900M for HALEU), and Orano Federal Services ($900M for LEU) to restore American uranium enrichment capacity. The effort explicitly aims to reduce U.S. reliance on Russian and other foreign suppliers amid geopolitical tensions.[3][4]
Centrus' prior DOE contracts date to 2019 for technology demonstration, evolving through 2022 production phases and extensions through mid-2026, with the company reaching key milestones including 900 kg delivered in 2025. The new contract supports Centrus' multi-billion-dollar modular expansion plans at Piketon, which include both HALEU and low-enriched uranium (LEU) capacity to serve advanced reactors and the existing fleet, with initial build-out targeting 12 metric tons annual HALEU capacity alongside LEU backlog fulfillment.[5]
Analysts note this marks a strategic pivot from government-funded demonstration to private commercial production, positioning the U.S. to address critical fuel needs for next-generation nuclear reactors while creating thousands of domestic jobs in Ohio and Tennessee. Related DOE actions include additional funding for deconversion and innovative enrichment technologies.
LIMINAL: This accelerates U.S. nuclear supply chain independence, with potential to shift enrichment market dynamics away from Russia/China dominance over the next decade.
Sources (5)
- [1]Centrus Energy Press Release(https://www.centrusenergy.com/news/centrus-signs-contract-with-department-of-energy-for-900-million-award-intends-to-transition-haleu-production-cascade-to-commercial-operation/)
- [2]U.S. Department of Energy Announcement(https://www.energy.gov/articles/us-department-energy-awards-27-billion-restore-american-uranium-enrichment)
- [3]American Nuclear Society(https://www.ans.org/news/article-7652/doe-awards-27b-for-haleu-and-leu-enrichment/)
- [4]PR Newswire / Centrus(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/centrus-signs-contract-with-department-of-energy-for-900-million-award-intends-to-transition-haleu-production-cascade-to-commercial-operation-302816385.html)
- [5]World Nuclear News(https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/doe-awards-usd27-billion-to-strengthen-us-uranium-enrichment)