Urenco USA operators carry out routine work outside the cascade hall
The newly operational cascade is the first of several scheduled to be commissioned over the next two years. Installation of the new centrifuges was completed last year. The expansion supports Urenco USA’s goal of strengthening domestic uranium enrichment capabilities to meet the long-term needs of utility customers in the United States.
John Kirkpatrick, managing director of Urenco USA, stated: “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.”
Urenco USA is currently the only commercial provider of enriched uranium in the country. Its Eunice facility, operational since 2010, plays a central role in the U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain and is regarded by the company as a strategic asset within the national energy infrastructure.
The expansion project, announced in 2023, will increase the facility’s total enrichment capacity from 4.3 million separative work units (MSWU) to 5 million SWU. The additional capacity is being added gradually with new cascades expected to come online through early 2027. The company is also assessing potential for further expansion, depending on market conditions and customer contracts.
Urenco USA noted that its investment in the New Mexico facility has exceeded USD 5 billion to date. The plant currently meets about one-third of the enriched uranium demand for commercial nuclear power plants in the United States.
The ongoing upgrades are part of Urenco’s broader strategy to extend and modernize enrichment capabilities across its global network. In addition to the New Mexico expansion, the company is building a new enrichment hall at its Almelo site in the Netherlands. It also plans to construct a new facility in Capenhurst, United Kingdom, to produce up to 10 tonnes per year of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) by 2031.
These efforts reflect Urenco’s long-term commitment to supporting the global nuclear energy sector with stable, domestically produced nuclear fuel. The expansion enhances energy security and contributes to reliable, low-carbon electricity generation.
