Centrus Ships First Centrifuge for New Domestic Cascade
The delivery marks a step in establishing U.S.-based HALEU production to replace Russian fuel before 2028.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Nuclear
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Centrus has shipped the first centrifuge produced at its newly restarted Oak Ridge, Tennessee, manufacturing facility to its site in Piketon, Ohio. This milestone marks a step in the domestic production of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) to replace Russian-supplied fuel.
Why it matters
The development represents a critical effort to build independent U.S. enrichment capacity for advanced reactors. It addresses the legislative urgency created by the 2024 ban on Russian uranium imports and the expiration of related waivers in 2028.
Centrus machines have recorded over four million operating hours, serving as the basis for the current fleet. The company plans to scale this infrastructure to meet a federal requirement for one metric ton of HALEU by March 2032.
The players
Centrus
A nuclear fuel supplier that manages the development of HALEU production cascades and domestic centrifuge manufacturing.
Department of Energy
The federal agency overseeing the $2.7 billion investment to rebuild domestic enrichment capacity.
Westerman Holdings
A manufacturing firm acquired by Centrus for $116 million to bolster domestic component production.
The details
Workers at the Oak Ridge facility build individual centrifuge components, which are then transported to Piketon. At the Ohio site, these machines are integrated into cascades—series of interconnected centrifuges—designed to spin uranium hexafluoride gas at high speeds to increase the concentration of the U-235 isotope. Centrus maintains its domestic supply chain by sourcing tens of thousands of parts from U.S. manufacturers.
Timeline
Late 2023: The existing cascade at Piketon began HALEU production.
December 2025: Centrifuge manufacturing restarted at the Oak Ridge facility.
January 2026: The company announced a $560 million expansion project.
June 30, 2026: The Department of Energy awarded Centrus a $900 million fixed-price task order.
October 29, 2026: The first centrifuge was shipped to the Piketon site.
The Tech Race
The U.S. government has committed $2.7 billion to rebuild domestic enrichment capability to compete with long-standing foreign suppliers. This delivery follows the 2024 Russian import ban and seeks to secure a reliable HALEU supply chain for the next generation of reactors.
The transition to domestic HALEU production aims to stabilize fuel availability for advanced reactor developers, though it will not immediately impact consumer electricity prices. The effort is supported by 430 new jobs in Piketon, reflecting the facility's growing role in the local industrial economy.
The takeaway
Centrus is moving toward an expected first new capacity phase in 2029 to meet strict federal HALEU production targets. Watch for future updates on the $560 million expansion project in Oak Ridge as the facility scales toward its annual capacity goal of 12 metric tons.
Further reading
For more on the national shift toward domestic energy sources, visit Nuclear.
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Should the U.S. prioritize domestic uranium enrichment over importing services from foreign nations?
