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US nuclear reactors secure new fuel as Urenco ships first advanced uranium batch

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US nuclear reactors secure new fuel as Urenco ships first advanced uranium batch

A single cylinder of enriched uranium has marked a major turning point for the Western power grid.

Urenco USA has successfully produced its first commercial cylinder of Low-Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+) at its New Mexico facility.

Russia has mostly dominated the global market for enriched uranium. It is a major first for the Western world and opens up powerful new options for both aging power plants and next-generation reactor designs.

Next-generation Small Modular Reactors, such as high-temperature gas-cooled and sodium-cooled fast designs, feature smaller physical footprints than traditional power plants. Advanced compact cores depend on elevated U-235 concentrations to achieve maximum operational efficiency. 

Natural uranium consists of over 99% U-238 and under 1% fissionable U-235. 

For a long time, commercial reactors have operated on standard low-enriched uranium containing a 3% to 5% U-235. The newly introduced LEU+ expands these limits, raising enrichment levels up to 10%. The extra nudge in concentration is important.

For existing light water reactors, LEU+ means plants can run much longer between refueling shutdowns, cutting maintenance costs and keeping reliable zero-carbon electricity flowing to the grid with fewer interruptions. For advanced reactor developers, it provides a stable, commercial-scale U.S. fuel source built right here at home.

Also, LEU+ acts as a critical stepping stone. It serves as an optimal feedstock for producing High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) — enriched between 10 percent and 20 percent. It will boost production efficiency for high-tech reactor concepts currently on the drawing board.

“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.


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