Eunice, New Mexico – November 03, 2026 -- Urenco USA has completed its first product cylinder of low-enriched uranium plus (LEU+), the first commercial production of the fuel in the Western world. The 5-10% U-235 product is aimed at existing light water reactors and at advanced reactor designs that need higher enrichment levels.
NRC authorization in September 2025 cleared the plant to enrich up to 10% U-235
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission authorized Urenco USA in September 2025 to enrich uranium up to 10% U-235. That made it the first commercial enricher able to produce LEU+. All of the plant's gas centrifuge cascades are licensed for LEU+, so the company can adjust output to customer requirements.
LEU+ lengthens reactor cycles and feeds HALEU production
Existing light water reactors running on LEU+ can operate longer cycles. That reduces the frequency of refueling outages and cuts operations and maintenance costs. Several advanced reactor technologies in development will also use LEU+ as fuel, giving them a U.S. supply source.
LEU+ can also serve as feedstock for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is enriched to 10-20%. It would increase the amount of fuel a dedicated HALEU facility could produce. HALEU production requires a dedicated facility and separate NRC authorization.
Natural uranium is more than 99% U-238 and less than 1% fissionable U-235. Most commercial reactors operating today run on low-enriched uranium (LEU) at 3-5% U-235.
Urenco will add 2.1 million SWU of capacity, with first cascades online in 2032
Urenco USA plans to expand domestic enrichment capacity at its New Mexico site to more than 7 million separative work units (SWU) over the next decade. Construction of a new enrichment plant starts in 2029. The initial cascades begin production in 2032, and additional cascades will be installed through 2036. The new capacity will also be available for LEU+.
The National Enrichment Facility, which began operations in 2010, currently has annual capacity of 4.3 million SWU. That is approximately one-third of current U.S. demand for low-enriched uranium. Since its first product shipment in 2012, Urenco USA says it has delivered every customer order on time and to specification, totaling more than 50 million SWU of production.