U.S. Awards $2.7 Billion Contracts to Centrus, Orano for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Supply

Oct 17, 2024, 09:50 PM

The U.S. government has awarded contracts to four vendors, including Centrus and France's Orano, for a $2.7 billion project aimed at strengthening the domestic fuel supply for advanced nuclear power. The Department of Energy's initiative focuses on producing high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), a critical fuel for advanced nuclear reactor designs. Advanced nuclear plants are meltdown-proof and cool themselves without relying on people, pumps, or backup power. This move seeks to reduce reliance on Russia, which has held a commercial monopoly over HALEU production.