French nuclear firm Orano will construct a $5 billion uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Production at the site, dubbed Project IKE, is scheduled to begin by 2031. The facility will be one of the largest enrichment plants in North America. This initiative aims to bolster the domestic energy supply chain following the U.S. ban on Russian uranium imports.
The U.S. Department of Energy selected both Orano and Centrus Energy for separate $900 million awards to expand domestic enrichment. Orano’s new plant will focus on Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU). Centrus remains the sole domestic producer of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for advanced reactors. The two companies maintain a pre-existing long-term supply agreement and will operate in close proximity in Oak Ridge.