Urenco launches sixth centrifuge cascade in New Mexico — OilPrice

Urenco USA has launched the sixth of eight new centrifuge cascades at the National Enrichment Facility in Eunice, New Mexico. According to OilPrice, the company announced on October 8 that production had begun at this cascade. The facility is the only commercial-scale uranium enrichment plant in the United States.

Capacity expansion

Following the commissioning of the sixth cascade, the expansion project is 75% complete. Urenco USA plans to launch the seventh cascade by the end of 2026 and the eighth in spring 2027.

The facility's current capacity is 4.3 million separative work units, which, according to the report, is enough to meet approximately one-third of US demand for enriched uranium. Under the current project, the company is installing an additional capacity of 700,000 separative work units.

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Over the next decade, Urenco intends to increase its enrichment capacity to more than 7 million separative work units. The plan includes, in particular, the construction of a new plant, which could begin in 2029.

Demand for nuclear fuel

Urenco USA Managing Director Jodie Blackshire said the new capacity is being brought online ahead of schedule and within budget. According to her, the company aims to increase uranium enrichment production by more than 50% to meet the needs of conventional and advanced reactors.

The report notes that Russia controls nearly half of global uranium enrichment capacity. The World Nuclear Association forecasts that global uranium demand will rise by 28% by 2030 and more than double by 2040. In April, Uranium Energy Corp. also began uranium production at the Burke Hollow project in South Texas, the first new US in-situ uranium recovery operation in more than a decade.