We have two locations in the USA: our uranium enrichment plant in New Mexico and a sales office in Arlington, Virginia.
Urenco USA - Eunice, New Mexico
Key facts
Located in south-eastern New Mexico, Urenco USA plays an essential role in the nuclear fuel supply chain, which ends with the sustainable generation of electricity.
Our focus is on providing safe, cost-effective and reliable uranium enrichment services for power generation within a framework of high environmental, social responsibility and corporate governance standards.
Urenco USA’s production capacity can meet approximately one third of the United States’ annual demand for enriched uranium and is the only operating commercial U.S. enrichment facility. It is a key strategic national asset to the USA, operated by a dedicated US workforce and under US nuclear regulation.
Our services
Enrichment
Urenco USA operates an enrichment facility in Eunice, New Mexico, which primarily supplies enrichment services to U.S. nuclear power plants and is capable of supplying approximately one-third of U.S. demand for enriched uranium annually.
Urenco USA currently has a capacity of 4.3 million separative work units (SWU). Between 2026-2036, that capacity will increase to more than 7 million SWU through the construction of a new process building and refurbishment of existing capacity at the site.
Advanced fuels
Urenco USA is supporting the next generation of nuclear energy through the production of Low Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+). LEU+ enables existing light-water reactors to operate for longer between refuelling outages and can also be used by some advanced reactor designs.
By expanding its advanced fuel capabilities, Urenco USA is helping customers meet evolving fuel requirements while supporting energy security and the deployment of innovative nuclear technologies.
Creating positive impact
Sustainability
The site is evaluating additional projects that would further reduce its environmental footprint.
1. Mining
Uranium ore is extracted, purified and milled to become uranium oxide (U3O8).
2. Conversion
U3O8 is chemically converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF6), also known as feed, and transported to one our enrichment facilities.
3. Enrichment and feed materials
Our enrichment process starts with the arrival of our customers’ UF6 at our enrichment facilities. We heat UF6 to turn it into a gas and then feed it into our gas centrifuges. The centrifuge separates the two isotopes contained in uranium: uranium235 (U235) and uranium238 (U238). The lighter U235 is typically enriched to up to 5%, which is sufficient to sustain a continuous fission reaction in a nuclear power plant.
The flexibility of our centrifuges allows us to conserve feed material, and therefore provide enriched uranium product and natural uranium, in addition to enrichment services.
4. Fuel fabrication
Customers’ enriched uranium is transported to fuel fabricators, where it is converted into pellets, before being loaded into fuel rods.
5. Power generation
The fuel rods are transported to nuclear
power stations, where they are placed inside reactors and used to generate steam. This drives turbines which, in turn, power electricity generators.
At the end of the nuclear fuel supply chain, nuclear power stations provide a reliable source of low carbon electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, offices and industries around the world.
1. Mining
Uranium ore is extracted, purified and milled to become uranium oxide (U3O8).
2. Conversion
U3O8 is chemically converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF6), also known as feed, and transported to one our enrichment facilities.
3. Enrichment and feed materials
Our enrichment process starts with the arrival of our customers’ UF6 at our enrichment facilities. We heat UF6 to turn it into a gas and then feed it into our gas centrifuges. The centrifuge separates the two isotopes contained in uranium: uranium235 (U235) and uranium238 (U238). The lighter U235 is typically enriched to up to 5%, which is sufficient to sustain a continuous fission reaction in a nuclear power plant.
The flexibility of our centrifuges allows us to conserve feed material, and therefore provide enriched uranium product and natural uranium, in addition to enrichment services.
4. Fuel fabrication
Customers’ enriched uranium is transported to fuel fabricators, where it is converted into pellets, before being loaded into fuel rods.
5. Power generation
The fuel rods are transported to nuclear
power stations, where they are placed inside reactors and used to generate steam. This drives turbines which, in turn, power electricity generators.
At the end of the nuclear fuel supply chain, nuclear power stations provide a reliable source of low carbon electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, offices and industries around the world.
Socio-economic impact analysis
Supporting our local communities
We are proud of the strong relationships we have built with our local communities. Through sponsorships, donations and employee volunteering, we support initiatives focused on education, the environment, health and culture.
Our employees contribute more than 1,000 volunteer hours each quarter and have been the largest contributors to local United Way organisations since 2008.
Education is a key focus of our outreach, with Richie’s Science Workshops reaching more than 20,000 students over the past decade, alongside partnerships with local schools and colleges and a summer internship programme that helps develop the next generation of nuclear professionals.
1. Mining
Uranium ore is extracted, purified and milled to become uranium oxide (U3O8).
2. Conversion
U3O8 is chemically converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF6), also known as feed, and transported to one our enrichment facilities.
3. Enrichment and feed materials
Our enrichment process starts with the arrival of our customers’ UF6 at our enrichment facilities. We heat UF6 to turn it into a gas and then feed it into our gas centrifuges. The centrifuge separates the two isotopes contained in uranium: uranium235 (U235) and uranium238 (U238). The lighter U235 is typically enriched to up to 5%, which is sufficient to sustain a continuous fission reaction in a nuclear power plant.
The flexibility of our centrifuges allows us to conserve feed material, and therefore provide enriched uranium product and natural uranium, in addition to enrichment services.
4. Fuel fabrication
Customers’ enriched uranium is transported to fuel fabricators, where it is converted into pellets, before being loaded into fuel rods.
5. Power generation
The fuel rods are transported to nuclear
power stations, where they are placed inside reactors and used to generate steam. This drives turbines which, in turn, power electricity generators.
At the end of the nuclear fuel supply chain, nuclear power stations provide a reliable source of low carbon electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, offices and industries around the world.
1. Mining
Uranium ore is extracted, purified and milled to become uranium oxide (U3O8).
2. Conversion
U3O8 is chemically converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF6), also known as feed, and transported to one our enrichment facilities.
3. Enrichment and feed materials
Our enrichment process starts with the arrival of our customers’ UF6 at our enrichment facilities. We heat UF6 to turn it into a gas and then feed it into our gas centrifuges. The centrifuge separates the two isotopes contained in uranium: uranium235 (U235) and uranium238 (U238). The lighter U235 is typically enriched to up to 5%, which is sufficient to sustain a continuous fission reaction in a nuclear power plant.
The flexibility of our centrifuges allows us to conserve feed material, and therefore provide enriched uranium product and natural uranium, in addition to enrichment services.
4. Fuel fabrication
Customers’ enriched uranium is transported to fuel fabricators, where it is converted into pellets, before being loaded into fuel rods.
5. Power generation
The fuel rods are transported to nuclear
power stations, where they are placed inside reactors and used to generate steam. This drives turbines which, in turn, power electricity generators.
At the end of the nuclear fuel supply chain, nuclear power stations provide a reliable source of low carbon electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, offices and industries around the world.
Take a tour
Watch our virtual tour to take a guided journey through one of our enrichment plants and discover how the enrichment process works while exploring our facilities. You can also tour our tails management facility to learn how we safely and responsibly manage uranium tails.
These interactive experiences offer a unique opportunity to see inside facilities that are not normally accessible to the public and gain a deeper understanding of our role in the nuclear fuel cycle.
Urenco Arlington
Urenco’s site in Arlington, Virginia is home to Urenco Inc. and Urenco USA Inc., which support Urenco’s commercial operations in the United States. From Arlington, teams manage the marketing and sale of uranium enrichment services and fuel cycle products to customers across North America, while also overseeing the ownership and strategic direction of Urenco’s enrichment facility in Eunice, New Mexico.
Interested in joining our team?
See what its like working at UUSA on our life page, or view our job opportunities.
