The First Commercial Production of an Advanced Nuclear Fuel

Advanced nuclear energy requires advanced fuel. Urenco USA hit a quiet milestone, producing its first cylinder of low-enriched uranium plus (LEU+). The achievement is so significant because it’s the first commercial production of this fuel in the U.S. and opens new options for current and new reactors.

Better Fuel Cycles and Advanced Designs

Most nuclear power plants run on low-enriched uranium (LEU). In natural uranium, less than 1% is the fissionable isotope U-235. Standard LEU bumps that number up to between 3% and 5%. LEU+ enriches the uranium to between 5% and 10%.

That higher enrichment gives existing light water reactors more run time between refueling stops. Less downtime means lower maintenance and operating costs. At the same time, several advanced reactors in development plan to use LEU+ directly, giving them a reliable domestic fuel supply right here in the U.S.

LEU+ also works as a starter material for high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which sits between 10% and 20% enrichment and requires dedicated facilities. Using LEU+ as a feed boosts the output of future plants and helps other new reactor designs get started.

“A tremendous amount of work has gone into preparing our plant and our staff to reach this achievement,” said Jody Blackshear, Managing Director of Urenco USA. “Through the coordinated efforts of teams from across our site and company, we can now supply an innovative fuel option for our customers and support the next generation of nuclear fuel technologies.”

Expansion in New Mexico

The company received approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in September 2025 to enrich uranium up to 10% U-235. Today, all the gas centrifuge cascades at its site are licensed to make LEU+.

Urenco USA is now expanding its New Mexico site to push domestic capacity past 7 million separative work units over the next ten years. Construction on a new enrichment plant will kick off in 2029, adding 2.1 million units of capacity. The first new cascades will come online in 2032, with more rolling out through 2036 to make both standard fuel and LEU+.