Since receiving the U.S. Department of Energy’s $900 million award in January 2026, Centrus Energy has advanced the expansion of its Piketon, Ohio uranium enrichment plant into early execution. The company finalized a strategic partnership with Fluor as Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor in February, commenced domestic centrifuge manufacturing to support deployment of thousands of new centrifuges, and in April selected Geiger Brothers as the primary construction contractor for on-site works. Centrus is also continuing workforce expansion and engineering activities while negotiating final DOE contract documentation. The first new enrichment capacity remains targeted for 2029 and is expected to support both High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) and conventional Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) production.
US DOE Awards Centrus $900 Million for Ohio Uranium Enrichment Plant Expansion
Reported January 6, 2026 – Centrus Energy Corp. has been awarded a $900 million task order by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the expansion of its uranium enrichment operations at its Piketon, Ohio facility. This continues to advance U.S. efforts to rebuild domestic nuclear fuel supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign imports. The funding, also part of a broader DOE initiative that includes multiple $900 million orders to American companies for domestic enrichment capacity, will help Centrus scale production of both Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) for existing reactor fleets and High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) needed for next-generation reactors. The expansion plan is also going to create thousands of American jobs. It also comes as uranium mining picks up pace across the U.S. with projects such as enCore’s Upper Spring Creek in South Texas with full design capacity of 3,200 gallons per minute (gpm).
Centrus Plans Multi-Billion Dollar Expansion of Its Uranium Enrichment Plant in Ohio
Reported September 25, 2025 – Centrus Energy has announced plans for a multi-billion dollar expansion of its uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio, a project designed to strengthen the nation’s supply of nuclear fuel for advanced reactors.
The expansion is designed to increase production of both Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) and High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU), materials critical to next-generation clean energy technologies and advanced nuclear reactors. The project, estimated by Centrus, would generate 1,000 construction jobs and 300 permanent operations jobs, along with saving 127 existing jobs at the facility.
Multi-Billion-Dollar Investment Contingent on Federal Support
The ultimate project scale is subject to federal funding approvals by the U.S. Department of Energy. If funded, Centrus expects the buildout will spur a multi-billion-dollar public–private investment in Ohio.
The project was described as “cornerstone” to the restoration of U.S. uranium enrichment capacity by Centrus CEO Amir Vexler.
“We’re planning a historic investment here in Ohio, backed by a fully domestic supply chain,” he said. “The goal is to end reliance on foreign, state-owned enterprises and secure America’s energy future with American technology and American workers.”
Broader Economic Impact
Beyond Piketon, the project is expected to support hundreds of jobs at Centrus’ centrifuge manufacturing plant in Tennessee, while creating thousands of indirect roles throughout the company’s U.S.-based supply chain.
Alongside the jobs in Piketon, the project is expected to sustain hundreds of positions at Centrus’ centrifuge manufacturing hub in Tennessee and support thousands of indirect jobs across the domestic supply chain. Hiring for the 300 new operations jobs will begin immediately, with job fairs and partnerships across the region.
Partnerships and Hiring Push
State economic development agencies are aligning behind the project. JobsOhio and OhioSE have pledged to partner with Centrus long-term, particularly as the company ramps up recruitment to fill new roles.
Centrus executives are also spotlighting the opportunity today at the Ross County Employment Expo in Chillicothe. Here, they will meet potential candidates for the operations workforce.
A Facility with Historic Roots
Governor DeWine emphasized the symbolic weight of Piketon in America’s defense and energy history.
“Uranium enrichment in Piketon has been central to U.S. security since the Cold War,” he noted. “Centrus’ decision to expand shows that Ohio remains vital to national defense and to building a secure domestic energy future. This facility is the only one with the technology to deliver enrichment at industrial scale.”
If federal support aligns with corporate ambitions, the expansion would mark one of the largest nuclear fuel infrastructure investments in decades – anchoring Ohio at the heart of America’s renewed push for nuclear energy independence.
Alongside private sector-backed investments like Orion nuclear fusion power plant, the United States is also reviving nuclear programs nationwide. On Tuesday, September 16, the Department of Energy announced a new round of funding to support the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan.
Oklo advances a neighbouring power campus in Pike County
The Piketon enrichment expansion is taking shape alongside a second major nuclear development in the same part of southern Ohio. Construction Review Online reached out to Oklo, which confirmed that it and Centrus are exploring a potential joint venture focused on HALEU deconversion services and related fuel-cycle technologies, near Oklo’s planned up-to-1.2 GW advanced nuclear power campus.
That campus advanced in January 2026, when Oklo announced an agreement with Meta to support development of a 1.2 GW power campus in Pike County, Ohio, to power Meta’s data centers in the region. Under the deal, Meta will prepay for power and provide funding to give Oklo greater certainty as it deploys its Aurora powerhouse reactors and secures nuclear fuel. Oklo plans to build on 206 acres of former U.S. Department of Energy land in Pike County, with the purchase facilitated in part by the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative as part of the redevelopment of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Pre-construction and site characterization are slated to begin in 2026, with the first phase targeted to come online as early as 2030 and the project scaling incrementally to the full 1.2 GW by 2034. The power is intended to support Meta’s regional operations, including its AI supercluster in New Albany, drawing on Ohio’s position within the PJM interconnection. For Centrus, the proximity matters: a deconversion hub co-located with its enrichment operations would tie fuel supply, power generation and advanced reactor deployment into a single Pike County cluster — though the joint venture remains at the exploratory stage.
Expansion of Centrus’ uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio: Project fact sheet
Location: Piketon, Ohio
Company: Centrus Energy
Type: Expansion of uranium enrichment facility
Investment: Multi-billion-dollar investment (scale dependent on U.S. Department of Energy funding)
Jobs:
- 1,000 construction jobs
- 300 new operations jobs
- 127 existing jobs saved
- Hundreds of jobs at Tennessee centrifuge plant supported
- Thousands of indirect jobs nationwide
Output:
- Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU)
- High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU)
- Supply Chain: Entirely domestic
About Oklo
Oklo is an advanced nuclear technology company developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable power to customers at scale. In southern Ohio, Oklo is planning an advanced nuclear power campus near Centrus’ Piketon enrichment operations, supporting a regional model that brings together fuel supply, power generation, and long-term deployment. Oklo and Centrus are also exploring a potential joint venture focused on HALEU deconversion services and related fuel-cycle technologies, helping strengthen the domestic supply chain for advanced nuclear fuel. Together, these efforts support Ohio’s growing role in rebuilding U.S. nuclear fuel and advanced energy infrastructure.
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