A US Department of Energy procurement backed by USD 2.7bn to buy LEU and HALEU from new domestic enrichment capacity, run through two contract pools: HALEU enrichment (four companies, 2024) and LEU acquisition (six companies, December 2024). On 5 January 2026 DOE finalized three USD 900m task orders, to American Centrifuge Operating (HALEU), General Matter (HALEU) and Orano Federal Services (LEU), and separately awarded Global Laser Enrichment USD 28m.
New to HALEU and enrichment? HALEU, explained: the fuel advanced reactors need · The U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain, explained
Current state
| Status | Program active |
| Country | United States |
| Operator | US Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy |
| Facility type | Government program |
| Products | LEU, HALEU |
| Government support | USD 2.7bn announced 27 Jun 2024; up to 10-year contracts with a USD 2m minimum per awardee (Task Order 1); payments under Task Order 2 are milestone-based. Some reports put the LEU pool's total potential value at USD 3.4bn. |
| Offtake | HALEU enrichment pool, Task Order 1 (2024; USD 2m each): American Centrifuge Operating, General Matter, Louisiana Energy Services (Urenco USA), Orano Federal Services. LEU acquisition pool, Task Order 1 (10 Dec 2024; USD 2m each): American Centrifuge Operating, General Matter, Global Laser Enrichment, Louisiana Energy Services, Laser Isotope Separation Technologies (LIST), Orano Federal Services. Task Order 2 (5 Jan 2026): American Centrifuge Operating USD 900m (HALEU), General Matter USD 900m (HALEU), Orano Federal Services USD 900m (LEU) = USD 2.7bn. Separate award: Global Laser Enrichment USD 28m (next-generation enrichment technology, from a separate solicitation). Centrus's HALEU order carries up to USD 170m in DOE purchase options (total USD 1.07bn). |
Notes
Recipient count resolved from DOE's 5 Jan 2026 release: exactly three USD 900m task orders (ACO, General Matter, Orano) totalling USD 2.7bn; GLE's USD 28m (reported elsewhere as up to USD 28.5m) is a separate award, not one of the task orders. Some coverage conflates the October 2024 HALEU pool (4 firms) with the December 2024 LEU pool (6 firms). DOE pages describe 'task orders'; ANS/WNN describe the vehicles as IDIQ-type contracts. HALEU pool selection was reported by WNN on 18 Oct 2024 (Orano dates its award to 10 Oct 2024); DOE's page gives only '2024'.
Timeline
- 2024-01-09 — DOE announced its request for proposals to build a domestic HALEU enrichment supply chain. (source)
- 2024-06-27 — DOE issued a request for proposals to buy LEU from new domestic enrichment capacity, backed by USD 2.7bn. (source)
- 2024-10 — DOE selected four companies for HALEU enrichment contracts worth a minimum of USD 2m each, with up to USD 2.7bn available. (source)
- 2024-12-10 — DOE selected six companies, each allocated USD 2m, to compete for future LEU supply task orders. (source)
- 2026-01-05 — DOE awarded USD 2.7bn in task orders: USD 900m each to American Centrifuge Operating and General Matter for HALEU and to Orano Federal Services for LEU, plus USD 28m to Global Laser Enrichment. (source)
The timeline is append-only: corrections are added as new entries. Stated targets appear in the current-state table, never as milestones.
NNN coverage
About US Department of Energy
- The 6 nuclear stories that mattered this week 2026-10-10
- DOE offers Vistra up to $4.2B for nuclear uprates 2026-10-06
- The U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain, explained 2026-09-29
- DOE closes $1.9B loan to restart NextEra's Duane Arnold plant 2026-09-09
- Why nuclear power plants can't shoot down drones 2026-09-01
- HALEU, explained: the fuel advanced reactors need 2026-08-27
Related facilities
- BWXT DUECE Pilot Plant (Erwin) Planned · United States
- Centrus American Centrifuge Plant (Piketon HALEU cascade and expansion) Expanding · United States
- DOE HALEU Availability Program and HALEU allocations Program active · United States
- DOE HALEU Deconversion Services contracts Program active · United States
- General Matter Paducah Enrichment Facility Licensing · United States
- Global Laser Enrichment Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF) Licensing · United States
- Idaho National Laboratory EBR-II fuel HALEU recovery Program active · United States
- LIS Technologies laser enrichment plant (Oak Ridge) Planned · United States
See all 29 facilities in the Uranium Enrichment & HALEU Tracker →
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy Awards $2.7 Billion to Restore American Uranium Enrichment — US Department of Energy (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- Domestic Low Enriched Uranium Supply Chain — US Department of Energy (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- HALEU Enrichment Services — US Department of Energy (primary), checked 2026-10-11
- DOE selects HALEU enrichment providers — World Nuclear News, checked 2026-10-11
- USA selects suppliers for low-enriched uranium contracts — World Nuclear News, checked 2026-10-11
- DOE awards USD2.7 billion to strengthen US uranium enrichment — World Nuclear News, checked 2026-10-11
- DOE awards $2.7B for HALEU and LEU enrichment — American Nuclear Society, checked 2026-10-11
- US enrichment funding recipients flesh out plans — World Nuclear News, checked 2026-10-11