The US Department of Energy awarded $2.7 billion on January 5 to three companies to restore domestic uranium enrichment capacity, accelerating a push to end American dependence on Russian nuclear fuel ahead of a 2028 import ban.
Task orders of $900 million each went to Orano Federal Services, American Centrifuge Operating, and General Matter, distributed in phases as each company hits milestones. The US currently imports about two-thirds of the low-enriched uranium (LEU) needed to power its 94 commercial nuclear reactors.
“Today’s awards show that this Administration is committed to restoring a secure domestic nuclear fuel supply chain,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
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The centerpiece is Project IKE, a nearly $5 billion facility Orano Federal Services plans to build on former Manhattan Project land in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Orano formally notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of a Q1 2026 license application, with LEU production targeted for 2031. The DOE projects the Oak Ridge investments will generate 1,100 jobs.
The license filing lands as the NRC undergoes its own shake-up. The agency announced on February 4 a major reorganization to streamline licensing, with a September implementation target. “We are in one of the most consequential periods in the NRC’s history,” Chairman Ho Nieh said.
Whether the overhaul speeds or complicates Orano’s application — already running tight against the 2028 Russian import deadline — remains the critical question.
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