CNNC's Lanzhou enrichment complex (Plant 504) runs five centrifuge plants with an estimated 4.4 million SWU a year, including CEP5, which started in 2023. A sixth plant (CEP6), built from about October 2024 and apparently completed in February 2026, is expected to begin operating as early as late 2026, lifting capacity to roughly 5.9-6.4 million SWU a year.
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Current state
| Status | Expanding |
| Country | China |
| Location | Lanzhou, Gansu |
| Operator | CNNC (Lanzhou Uranium Enrichment Co., Plant 504) |
| Ownership | China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), state-owned. |
| Facility type | Enrichment plant |
| Technology | Gas centrifuge |
| Products | LEU |
| Capacity (tSWU/yr) | 4,400 |
| Target capacity (tSWU/yr) | 5,900 |
| Target year | 2027 |
Notes
Target 5,900 tSWU is the low end of IPFM's 5,900-6,400 tSWU/yr estimate after CEP6 (normal operation expected 2027). The former Lanzhou gaseous diffusion plant is closed. China does not publish enrichment capacity; all figures are outside estimates by Hui Zhang (IPFM/Belfer) from satellite imagery. WNA (Sept 2026) estimates CNNC capacity at 13,789 tSWU in 2025 rising to 18,230 tSWU by 2030, assuming China supplies its domestic fleet.
Timeline
- 2023 — Lanzhou CEP5 reportedly began initial operation in the fall, with an estimated 1.5-2 million SWU/yr. (source)
- 2024-10 — Construction of Lanzhou CEP6 began, according to satellite imagery analysis. (source)
- 2026-02 — Lanzhou CEP6 construction was apparently completed. (source)
The timeline is append-only: corrections are added as new entries. Stated targets appear in the current-state table, never as milestones.
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Related facilities
- Angarsk Electrolysis Chemical Combine (AECC) Operating · Russia
- BWXT DUECE Pilot Plant (Erwin) Planned · United States
- CNEA Pilcaniyeu enrichment plant Shut down · Argentina
- CNNC Emeishan uranium enrichment plant (Plant 814) Expanding · China
- CNNC Hanzhong uranium enrichment plant (Plant 405) Expanding · China
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- Global Laser Enrichment Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) Licensing · United States
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See all 29 facilities in the Uranium Enrichment & HALEU Tracker →
Sources
- China to operate two more large enrichment plants — International Panel on Fissile Materials, checked 2026-10-11
- China started operation of two new enrichment plants in 2023 — International Panel on Fissile Materials, checked 2026-10-11
- China's Uranium Enrichment Expansion: Worrisomely Large — Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School, checked 2026-10-11
- Uranium Enrichment (updated 29 Sep 2026) — World Nuclear Association, checked 2026-10-11