Two uranium enrichment companies with Oak Ridge ties pocket $1.8 billion to fuel U.S. supply
Oak Ridge and East Tennessee have been leading the charge for the nuclear renaissance for about a decade, and the latest federal announcement secures the region's dominance.
From the days of the Manhattan Project to today’s cutting-edge nuclear technologies, Oak Ridge has been synonymous with innovation. Now, as the U.S. seeks to reduce dependence on imported uranium and usher in a new era of advanced reactors, East Tennessee is once again at the center of the story.
Two companies with ties to Oak Ridge have landed a combined $1.8 billion in federal funding to expand the United States’ uranium enrichment capabilities. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), this investment will help accelerate America’s nuclear revival. It will assist in making the country more competitive on an international scale.
The DOE announced on Monday that it will award $900 million each to Orano Federal Services and American Centrifuge Operating, a subsidiary of Centrus Energy Corporation. This is part of a $2.7 billion investment to strengthen domestic enrichment services over the next decade. According to the news release, the funding aims to expand U.S. capacity for low-enriched uranium (LEU). It also aims to jumpstart new supply chains for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is critical for advanced nuclear reactors.
“President Trump is catalyzing a resurgence in the nation’s nuclear energy sector to strengthen American security and prosperity,” said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in a statement. “Today’s awards show that this Administration is committed to restoring a secure domestic nuclear fuel supply chain capable of producing the nuclear fuels needed to power the reactors of today and the advanced reactors of tomorrow.”
What does this mean for Tennessee?
Closer to home, the federal dollars reinforce East Tennessee’s role as a global hub for advanced energy innovation, specifically in the nuclear sector.
Orano Federal Services is part of Orano Group, a leading French nuclear company with global expertise in fuel cycle technologies. In September 2024, Orano announced plans for a multibillion-dollar enrichment center in Oak Ridge called “Project IKE,” signaling confidence in the region’s infrastructure and workforce. The new DOE award will allow Orano to expand U.S. domestic LEU enrichment capacity, which is essential for fueling the nation’s 94 commercial reactors.
American Centrifuge Operating, based in Ohio, will use its $900 million award to create domestic HALEU enrichment capacity. HALEU is a specialized fuel required for next-generation reactors. Currently, the U.S. imports all of it from Russia. Centrus relies on its Oak Ridge facility to manufacture centrifuges, which is the critical technology for uranium enrichment. This makes East Tennessee a key player in this strategic effort.
For Oak Ridge, the announcement is an obvious “win” for advanced energy leaders, innovators, and economic developers who have been hard at work changing Oak Ridge’s narrative from being a “Secret City” to a well-known nuclear hub.
The total $2.7 billion investment will be split up as follows:
- American Centrifuge Operating ($900 million) to create domestic HALEU enrichment capacity.
- Orano Federal Services ($900 million) to expand U.S. domestic LEU enrichment capacity.
- General Matter ($900 million) to create domestic HALEU enrichment capacity. This company is based in California.
The DOE also awarded an additional $28 million today to Global Laser Enrichment to continue advancing next-generation uranium enrichment technology for the nuclear fuel cycle. The company is based in Wilmington, North Carolina. This award is the result of a competitive solicitation issued last December.
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