Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for Urenco USA's Uranium Enrichment Facility Expansion Project in New Mexico

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 21, Urenco USA held a groundbreaking ceremony for its expansion project at the National Enrichment Facility site in Eunice, New Mexico, attended by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Urenco CEO Boris Schucht, and company management. The project, officially announced in June 2026, plans to increase the capacity of the only operating commercial uranium enrichment facility in the United States by nearly 50%.

The expansion project will adopt gas centrifuge enrichment technology, adding 2.1 million separative work units (SWU) of annual capacity, with the installation of up to 24 centrifuge cascade production lines. The first cascades are expected to begin operations in 2032, with full installation continuing through 2036. The facility's current annual capacity is 4.3 million SWU, accounting for approximately one-third of current U.S. enriched uranium demand.

Urenco stated that this expansion represents the largest private investment in nuclear fuel in U.S. history, with cumulative private capital investment at the New Mexico site exceeding $8 billion. The expansion project has not received any public funding or government subsidies. During the peak construction period, the project will create 300 to 600 jobs, along with 70 new permanent operational positions. The facility currently employs more than 500 staff members and long-term contractors.

This capacity increase is primarily driven by long-term contracts from U.S. utility companies. The United States will impose a comprehensive ban on imports of Russian enriched uranium starting in January 2028. Urenco reported that its global order book had reached a record €21.3 billion (approximately $24.78 billion) by the end of 2025. Additionally, the facility is currently undergoing an expansion project to add 700,000 SWU of capacity, expected to be completed in 2027.