Nucleon Fuel Seeks State Grant for Uranium Facility

The proposed Wyoming plant aims to process 15,000 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride annually once construction begins.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Nuclear

Isometric editorial illustration of three industrial processing units on a high-desert plateau, representing planned energy infrastructure. — Nucleon Fuel has requested a $20 million state grant to fund its planned Fort Union Uranium Conversion Facility in Wyoming. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Nucleon Fuel has applied for a $20 million grant from the Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund to support its proposed Fort Union Uranium Conversion Facility. The application, which passed an initial committee review, is currently subject to a public comment period ending in mid-November.

Why it matters

Securing this funding would bolster capital for a facility designed to produce 15,000 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride annually, a critical stage in the nuclear fuel supply chain. This project aims to expand domestic processing capacity for energy production in Wyoming.

The proposed Fort Union facility would utilize three SMR-5000 modules to achieve a total annual output of 15,000 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride. Each module is rated for 5,000 metric tons per year using a wet conversion process involving nitric acid.

The players

Nucleon Fuel

A developer planning the Fort Union Uranium Conversion Facility using modular SMR-5000 units.

Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund

A state-legislated fund with a $105 million cap designed to support oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear projects.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The federal agency responsible for overseeing the safety and licensing of nuclear materials and facilities.

The details

The facility is designed to perform uranium conversion, the process of turning uranium ore concentrates into uranium hexafluoride gas for enrichment. This system utilizes a wet conversion process, which involves chemical dissolution in nitric acid to purify the uranium. The proposed design features three SMR-5000 modules, which represent the modular units for the conversion plant's scale of production.

April 2026: Nucleon Fuel submitted a letter of intent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
October 28, 2026: Nucleon Fuel hosts a public open house in Gillette.
November 16, 2026: The public comment period for the grant application concludes.

The Tech Race

This project seeks to establish new domestic processing capacity as Wyoming expands its role in the nuclear energy sector. The facility would compete with existing infrastructure, such as the facility in Metropolis, Illinois, to secure supply chain dominance.

Residents in Wyoming can submit feedback on the grant application through November 16, 2026. While construction is currently projected for 2030 or 2031, the project's progression depends on successfully securing matching private investments.

The takeaway

Nucleon Fuel is positioning itself as a central player in Wyoming's nuclear industrial development with this significant capital request. Stakeholders should track the outcome of the public comment period ending November 16 to see if the project clears its next regulatory hurdle.