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Centrus Energy Corp (LEU) has signed a definitive contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a notable update for the entire nuclear industry. Originally selected earlier this year for a $900 million award, the final contract value has expanded to over $1 billion. 

Key Takeaways Centrus Energy Corp finalized a DOE contract valued at over $1 billion to scale up domestic commercial manufacturing of critical high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The operational expansion directly supports a recent commercial letter of intent (LOI) signed with Oklo Inc to fuel advanced reactor deployments in Ohio. Advisors can access both Centrus Energy and Oklo via the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ), which captures the broader nuclear fuel and reactor ecosystem. This major funding is designed to transition the company’s HALEU production cascade in Piketon, Ohio, into full-scale commercial operations. For investors monitoring the space, this development highlights the significant public-private capital deployment driving next-generation nuclear infrastructure.

Expanding the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain Securing a domestic supply of HALEU remains a bottleneck for the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in the U.S. The DOE’s commitment derisks the capital expenditure required for Centrus to scale its deployment. Furthermore, this contract allows the company to ramp up production to meet commercial demand.

This infrastructure upgrade directly builds upon recent private sector commercial commitments. Just weeks prior to this contract signing, Centrus finalized a LOI with Oklo Inc. (OKLO). Under the agreement, Centrus will provide enrichment services to supply the necessary fuel for Oklo’s flagship Aurora Powerhouse project slated for southern Ohio.

Playing the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain via NUKZ For advisors looking to capture this investment opportunity, an index-based solution like the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ) provides balanced exposure to the entire nuclear value chain.

Both Centrus and Oklo are holdings in NUKZ, allowing advisors to capture both fuel production and reactor deployment. As utilities seek reliable, emissions-free baseload power to meet rising data center electricity demands, the nuclear fuel chain represents a resilient thematic allocation.

Looking for nuclear insights in your inbox? Subscribe here to keep a pulse on nuclear investing through our weekly research.

For more news, information, and analysis, visit the Nuclear Energy Content Hub.

vettafi.com is owned by VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”). VettaFi is the index provider for NUKZ, for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, NUKZ is not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi. VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of NUKZ.

Total Enrichment Contract Valued at over $1 Billion, Including All Options

Completes Production of Additional 900 Kilograms of HALEU UF6 Ahead of Schedule

Prior Contract Extended for Three Months Ahead of Transition

, /PRNewswire/ -- Centrus Energy (NYSE: LEU) today announced that it has signed a contract to finalize the terms of the competitively-awarded, $900 million task order it received from the U.S. Department of Energy earlier this year. The award will support deployment of large-scale production capacity for High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) as part of Centrus' multi-billion-dollar capacity expansion that will include Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) as well as HALEU. 

"Today's announcement marks another milestone in our expansion, as we pivot from a technology demonstration contract to the new, larger contract aimed at commercial scale production," said Centrus President and CEO Amir Vexler. "The government's investment from this contract will be matched several times over with billions of dollars in capital, including other non-dilutive, non-debt funding as well as customer contracts to restore America's ability to enrich uranium at a large scale."

Transitioning from Demonstration to Commercialization

Centrus won a contract in 2019 to build a cascade of advanced centrifuges in Piketon to demonstrate HALEU production with U.S. technology. That demonstration contract was modified and extended in 2022 to allow for a longer period of HALEU production, and was previously extended through June 30, 2026. While Centrus and the Department have signed a three-month, $15 million extension for HALEU storage, Centrus has now completed all HALEU production called for under the existing demonstration contract. Production of the final 900 kilograms of HALEU UF6 required under that contract was completed in mid-June, two weeks ahead of schedule, with a cumulative total of more than 1,900 kilograms produced over the life of the contract. 

With its large-scale expansion underway, Centrus is transitioning from the old demonstration contract to commercialization with the newer, larger enrichment contract. The first new capacity is expected to come online by 2029. In the interim, Centrus intends to privately operate the existing HALEU cascade on a commercial basis to begin supplying the near-term needs of its customers. Centrus is working with the Department on agreements to enable that transition, including a long-term lease extension for the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. 

The new, fixed-price HALEU Enrichment contract calls for Centrus to deploy commercial-scale HALEU production capacity in Piketon. It also includes options, at the Department's discretion, for up to $170 million in HALEU purchases for Departmental missions, the total contract value with all options included is $1.07 billion. 

Modular Enrichment Capacity Build-Out

As previously disclosed, Centrus' modular enrichment capacity build out will based on customer demand and capital resources.

The initial build-out will include 12 metric tons of annual HALEU production capacity as well as capacity to meet Centrus existing LEU backlog of $2.4 billion. Subject to customer demand, Centrus can continue expanding production of HALEU and LEU to meet market requirements. Importantly, Centrus' expects the initial build-out to allow it to achieve nth-of-a-kind centrifuge manufacturing costs.

Centrus' multi-billion-dollar expansion project is expected to support thousands of American jobs, including:

1,000 construction jobs and 300 new operating jobs in Ohio, while retaining 150 existing jobs at the Piketon plant. 430 jobs at Centrus' centrifuge manufacturing plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and hundreds of additional jobs across Centrus' nationwide network of suppliers. Thousands of indirect jobs in Ohio, Tennessee and across the country. The expansion is underpinned by public and private funding along with commercial contracts, a framework that includes: national security missions, third party investments such as prepayment, direct foreign investment, LEU and HALEU commercial contracts, and Centrus' strong capital position.

About Centrus Energy

Centrus Energy is a trusted American supplier of nuclear fuel and services for the nuclear power industry, helping meet the growing need for clean, affordable, carbon-free energy. Since 1998, the Company has provided its utility customers with more than 1,850 reactor years of fuel, which is equivalent to more than 7 billion tons of coal.

With world-class technical and engineering capabilities, Centrus is pioneering production of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium and is leading the effort to restore America's uranium enrichment capabilities at scale so that we can meet our clean energy, energy security, and national security needs. Find out more at www.centrusenergy.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which in this context means statements that express Centrus' opinions, expectations, objectives, beliefs, plans, intentions, strategies, assumptions, forecasts or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements." The words "may," "will," "could," "should," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "continue," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "goal," "would," "commit," or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this press release and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the markets in which Centrus operates. Such forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks, and uncertainties.

Particular factors that involve uncertainty and could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements and which are, and may be, exacerbated by any worsening of the global business and economic environment include but are not limited to the following: our ability to conclude negotiations with our customers, including the Department as it pertains to the potential agreements discussed herein; the war in Ukraine and other geopolitical conflicts; our government contracts, including related to changes to the U.S. government's appropriated funding levels for HALEU; the government's inability to satisfy its obligations, and our lease to our facility in Piketon, Ohio; whether or when government demand for HALEU or LEU for government or commercial uses will materialize and at what level; the impact and potential extended duration of a supply/demand imbalance in the market for LEU; significant competition from major LEU producers, including foreign competitors, who may be less cost sensitive then we are; limitations on our ability to compete in foreign markets; pricing trends and demand in the uranium and enrichment markets, especially in light of the potential of limited supply and our dependence on others for deliveries of LEU; and our ability to successfully implement our planned expansion projects in Piketon, Ohio and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in this news release and in our filings with the SEC, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, under Part II, Item 1A – "Risk Factors" in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other filings with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Media -- Dan Leistikow
[email protected]

Investors -- Neal Nagarajan
[email protected]

SOURCE Centrus Energy Corp.

The stock of Centrus Energy Group (LEU 2.04%) didn't exactly go nuclear on Thursday, but investor enthusiasm over a new deal boosted its price. The nuclear fuel and enrichment services company's shares raced more than 12% higher on the news in that trading session.

A powerful piece of news In a joint press release published that morning, Centrus and small modular reactor (SMR) company Oklo announced they had signed a letter of intent for a set of projects in Ohio.

Image source: Getty Images.

Under the terms of the document, Centrus will supply sufficient high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for up to five of Oklo's Aurora powerhouses in the state. The letter of intent covers multiple years, the two companies wrote without being more specific. Deliveries are to start in 2029, they said.

The Ohio assets are being built by Oklo in partnership with social media company Meta Platforms to power its artificial intelligence (AI)-capable data centers.

Centrus and Oklo added that their pact "brings together domestic fuel supply, planned advanced nuclear power generation, customer demand, and project execution" for the latter company's operations.

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High on the coming supply On top of that, per Centrus and Oklo, the arrangement comes "at a time when access to domestically sourced HALEU remains one of the central constraints facing the advanced nuclear sector."

This is an important point, and a key reason why investors were understandably bullish on Centrus stock after the news hit the headlines.

The great bulk of the company's revenue derives from fuel supplies, so the more it can lock in with long commitments, the better. The current U.S. nuclear power revival seems to be picking up energy -- forgive the corny wordplay -- and Centrus should be one of the top beneficiaries of this. I'd be positive on the company's future too.

Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.