Urenco gets US approval to make more powerful nuclear fuel

Urenco USA, the only US supplier of nuclear fuel for conventional reactors, has received permission from regulators to make a new type of uranium fuel.

The company expects to begin production of the fuel this year at its site in New Mexico, with commercial deliveries expected in 2026, according to a statement Thursday.

Urenco is expanding its production at a time when demand for nuclear power is expected to climb, and the availability of fuel is seen as a key potential bottleneck. Russia is the top supplier of uranium fuel, and the US is seeking to boost the domestic supply chain. President Joe Biden imposed a ban on Russian imports in 2024, but authorized waivers that will be available if needed through 2028.

Reactors rely on a specific isotope to sustain a fission chain reaction — uranium-235 — but it accounts for just 0.7% of the ore mined from the ground. Urenco, a Dutch, German and British consortium, increases that concentration through a process called enrichment.

Conventional reactors in service now use uranium fuel with a 5% concentration, known as LEU, or low-enriched uranium. The company now has permission to produce fuel with a 10% level, LEU+.

The higher concentration means reactors can run for longer periods before they need to be refueled, saving operators money. The industry is also developing a supply chain for a fuel that’s enriched up to 20%, which is expected to be needed for the next-generation of reactor designs.

(By Will Wade)