Urenco USA has begun producing low-enriched uranium (LEU), which is primarily used as fuel in commercial nuclear power plants, with its second new cascade of gas centrifuges at its uranium enrichment facility in New Mexico.

The company said it had started the cascade ahead of schedule and built it on budget, continuing its expansion of US enrichment capacity in support of the country’s goal of strengthening the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.

Urenco USA will add 700,000 separative work units (SWU) of new capacity at the site between 2025-2027, which will increase the plant’s capacity by 15%.