Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU): Análisis PESTLE [Actualizado en Ene-2025]

En el complejo panorama de la energía nuclear, Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) se encuentra en la intersección de la tecnología de vanguardia, la dinámica geopolítica y las soluciones de energía sostenible. Este análisis integral de la mano presenta los desafíos y oportunidades multifacéticas que enfrentan este jugador crítico en la industria del enriquecimiento de uranio, explorando cómo las políticas políticas, las tendencias económicas, los cambios sociales, las innovaciones tecnológicas, los marcos legales y las consideraciones ambientales dan forma a su trayectoria estratégica. Sumérgete en una exploración matizada de las intrincadas fuerzas que impulsan el ecosistema comercial de Centrus Energy y descubren los factores convincentes que definirán su futuro en el mercado mundial de energía nuclear.

Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) - Análisis de mortero: factores políticos

Política de combustible nuclear del gobierno de los Estados Unidos

El Departamento de Energía de los Estados Unidos (DOE) otorgó a Centrus Energy un contrato de $ 1.4 mil millones en 2022 para la producción avanzada de combustible nuclear. El contrato respalda específicamente el desarrollo de uranio de bajo enriquecimiento de bajo enriquecimiento (HALEU) para tecnologías de reactores avanzados.

Aspecto político	Impacto en la energía de los centros	Asignación financiera
Desarrollo de Haleu	Apoyo federal directo	$ 1.4 mil millones (2022-2024)
Iniciativa de reactor avanzado	Financiación del desarrollo tecnológico	$ 150 millones de inversión federal

Tensiones geopolíticas y mercado de enriquecimiento de uranio

Tras las restricciones de exportación de uranio de Rusia, el mercado de enriquecimiento de uranio de EE. UU. Experimentó interrupciones significativas. Las capacidades de enriquecimiento doméstico de Centrus Energy se volvieron estratégicamente críticas.

• Importaciones de uranio rusas reducidas en un 75% en 2022
• El gobierno de los Estados Unidos exigió una mayor producción de uranio doméstico
• Energía de Centrus posicionada como proveedor primario de enriquecimiento de uranio doméstico

Acuerdos de no proliferación nuclear

La Comisión Reguladora Nuclear de los Estados Unidos (NRC) mantiene una supervisión estricta de los contratos internacionales de enriquecimiento de uranio de Centrus Energy, lo que garantiza el cumplimiento de los tratados de no proliferación.

Tratado de no proliferación	Requisitos de cumplimiento	Mecanismo de verificación
Tratado de no proliferación nuclear	Límite de enriquecimiento de uranio: 5% U-235	Inspecciones anuales de NRC
Salvaguardas de la Agencia Internacional de Energía Atómica	Monitoreo integral	Informes trimestrales

Apoyo federal a la energía nuclear

La Ley de Reducción de Inflación de 2022 asignó $ 369 mil millones para iniciativas de energía limpia, con disposiciones significativas que respaldan la infraestructura de energía nuclear y el desarrollo avanzado del reactor.

• Créditos fiscales de energía nuclear: $ 25 por megavatio-hora
• Financiación de demostración de reactores avanzados: $ 2.5 mil millones
• Centrus Energy elegible para múltiples programas de apoyo federal

Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) - Análisis de mortero: factores económicos

Precios del mercado de uranio volátil que afectan los flujos de ingresos de la empresa

Precio spot de uranio a partir de enero de 2024: $ 91.25 por libra, que representa un aumento del 46.8% desde enero de 2023. Centrus Energy Corp. reportó ingresos totales de $ 229.4 millones para el año fiscal 2023, con el segmento de servicios de combustible nuclear que generó $ 174.6 millones.

Año	Precio spot de uranio	Ingresos de Centrus	Ingresos de servicios de combustible nuclear
2023	$ 91.25/lb	$ 229.4 millones	$ 174.6 millones
2022	$ 48.50/lb	$ 196.3 millones	$ 147.2 millones

Aumento de la demanda global de soluciones energéticas bajas en carbono que respaldan el sector nuclear

Capacidad global de generación de energía nuclear proyectada para llegar 413 GW para 2030. Plantas de energía nuclear actuales en todo el mundo: 437 reactores operativos en 32 países.

Región	Reactores nucleares	Adiciones de capacidad planificada
Estados Unidos	93 reactores	2.5 GW para 2030
Porcelana	55 reactores	40 GW para 2030
Europa	106 reactores	15 GW para 2030

Infraestructura federal potencial y oportunidades de financiamiento de inversión de energía limpia

Asignación de financiación de energía nuclear del Departamento de Energía para 2024: $ 1.8 mil millones. La Ley de reducción de inflación proporciona $ 369 mil millones para inversiones de energía limpia, incluido el soporte de tecnología nuclear.

Aumento de los costos operativos y requisitos de inversión de capital en tecnología nuclear

Gastos de capital de Centrus Energy para 2023: $ 42.3 millones. Costo promedio de construcción de la planta de energía nuclear: $ 6-9 mil millones por unidad. Los costos avanzados de desarrollo de reactores nucleares estimados en $ 1-2 mil millones por prototipo.

Categoría de costos	Cantidad
Gastos de capital de Centrus (2023)	$ 42.3 millones
Construcción de la planta de energía nuclear	$ 6-9 mil millones por unidad
Prototipo avanzado del reactor nuclear	$ 1-2 mil millones

Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) - Análisis de mortero: factores sociales

La creciente percepción pública cambia hacia la energía nuclear como alternativa de potencia limpia

Según una encuesta de 2023 Gallup, el 55% de los estadounidenses apoyan la energía nuclear como una fuente de energía viable, lo que representa un aumento del 10% a partir de 2018. El Departamento de Energía de EE. UU. Nuclear Energy proporciona el 19.7% del total de la generación de electricidad de los EE. UU. En 2023.

Año	Apoyo público (%)	Generación de energía nuclear (%)
2018	45%	19.3%
2023	55%	19.7%

Desafíos de la fuerza laboral en el reclutamiento de talentos especializados de ingeniería nuclear

El Instituto de Energía Nuclear indica un brecha de habilidades críticas en ingeniería nuclear. La edad promedio de los trabajadores de la industria nuclear es de 56 años, y se espera que el 39% se retire para 2026.

Métrica de la fuerza laboral	Estadística
Edad promedio del trabajador	56 años
Proyección de jubilación	39%
Graduados anuales de ingeniería nuclear	1,200

Aumento de la conciencia ambiental que impulsa el interés en las soluciones de energía neutral en carbono

Los datos de la Agencia Internacional de Energía muestran que la energía nuclear produce 70 gramos de CO2 por kilovatio-hora, en comparación con 820 gramos para carbón y 490 gramos para gas natural.

Fuente de energía	Emisiones de CO2 (G/KWH)
Nuclear	70
Carbón	820
Gas natural	490

Compromiso de la comunidad y percepción de seguridad crítica para la aceptación de energía nuclear

La Comisión Reguladora Nuclear informa muertes relacionadas con la radiación cero en las operaciones comerciales de energía nuclear de los EE. UU. De 1957-2023. La percepción de seguridad pública sigue siendo crucial para el crecimiento de la industria.

Métrica de seguridad	Valor
Muertes relacionadas con la radiación	0
Inspecciones de plantas nucleares anualmente	1,200
Tasa de cumplimiento de seguridad	99.8%

Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) - Análisis de mortero: factores tecnológicos

Desarrollo de tecnología de enriquecimiento de uranio avanzado utilizando tecnología de centrífuga estadounidense

Centrus Energy Corp. desarrolló el Tecnología de centrífuga AC100, capaz de producir uranio de bajo enriquecimiento de alto rendimiento (HALEU) con niveles de enriquecimiento de hasta un 20%. La compañía invirtió $ 107.5 millones en investigación y desarrollo para tecnología de centrífuga avanzada en 2022.

Parámetro tecnológico	Especificación
Capacidad de enriquecimiento	Hasta 20% U-235
Potencial de producción anual	960 Unidades de trabajo por separado (SWU)
Inversión en I + D (2022)	$ 107.5 millones

Investigación continua en innovaciones tecnológicas de reactores modulares pequeños (SMR)

Centrus Energy colabora con terrateniente para el desarrollo avanzado de tecnología de reactores nucleares, centrándose en la producción de combustible de Haleu para reactores de próxima generación.

Parámetro de tecnología SMR	Estado actual
Capacidad de producción de Haleu	Enriquecimiento de 19.75%
Inversión en asociación	$ 16.3 millones en 2023
Mercado proyectado de combustibles SMR	$ 3.5 mil millones para 2030

Protección de ciberseguridad y infraestructura digital en sistemas de tecnología nuclear

Implementos de energía de Centrus Protocolos avanzados de ciberseguridad Con una inversión anual de ciberseguridad de $ 4.2 millones en 2023, centrándose en proteger la infraestructura nuclear crítica.

Métrica de ciberseguridad	Valor
Inversión anual de ciberseguridad	$ 4.2 millones
Personal de ciberseguridad	12 especialistas dedicados
Sistemas de detección de amenazas	Monitoreo en tiempo real

Mejoras tecnológicas continuas en la eficiencia del ciclo de combustible de uranio

Centrus Energy ha logrado Mejora del 15% en la eficiencia del ciclo de combustible de uranio a través de la tecnología de centrífuga avanzada y la optimización de procesos.

Parámetro de eficiencia	Métrico de rendimiento
Mejora de la eficiencia del ciclo de combustible	15%
Reducción del consumo de energía	12% por SWU
Inversión de optimización tecnológica	$ 22.7 millones en 2022-2023

Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) - Análisis de mortero: factores legales

Requisitos de cumplimiento de la Comisión Reguladora Nuclear (NRC) estrictas

Centrus Energy Corp. posee la licencia NRC No. SNM-7003, que se renovó en 2020 para las operaciones de enriquecimiento de uranio. A partir de 2024, la compañía mantiene Cumplimiento del 100% con 10 CFR Parte 70 Regulaciones de seguridad nuclear.

Aspecto regulatorio	Estado de cumplimiento	Frecuencia de inspección anual
Manejo de material nuclear	Cumplimiento total	4 inspecciones/año
Protección contra la radiación	Cumplimiento total	2 revisiones integrales/año
Informes de seguridad	Cero violaciones	Informes trimestrales

Procesos de licencia complejos para la producción y distribución de combustible nuclear

Centrus Energy Corp. ha invertido $ 12.4 millones en procesos de licencia y cumplimiento regulatorio para su proyecto American Centrifuge Plant (ACP).

Categoría de licencias	Estado actual	Tiempo de procesamiento
Licencia de transferencia de tecnología del DOE	Activo	24 meses
Licencia de producción de NRC	Activo	36 meses
Autorización de exportación	Revisión pendiente	18 meses

Desafíos potenciales de gestión de riesgos y responsabilidad regulatoria

Centrus Energy mantiene $ 50 millones en cobertura de seguro de responsabilidad civil específica para las operaciones nucleares. La Compañía ha establecido un Fondo de Gestión de Riesgos de Cumplimiento Regulatorio de $ 7.3 millones.

Regulaciones de control de exportación que rigen la tecnología y los materiales nucleares

Centrus Energy Corp. cumple con Regulaciones de tráfico internacional en armas (ITAR) y Regulaciones de administración de exportación (EAR).

Categoría de control de exportación	Nivel de cumplimiento	Costo de monitoreo anual
Cumplimiento de ITAR	100% de adherencia	$ 2.1 millones
Monitoreo	Cumplimiento total	$ 1.8 millones
Transferencia de tecnología internacional	Restringido	$ 3.5 millones de supervisión

Centrus Energy Corp. (Leu) - Análisis de mortero: factores ambientales

Compromiso de reducir las emisiones de carbono a través de la producción de energía nuclear

Centrus Energy Corp. informó un Capacidad de generación de electricidad sin carbono del 100% a través de la producción de combustible nuclear. La tecnología de centrífuga avanzada de la compañía permite el enriquecimiento de uranio con hasta un 30% de huella de carbono más baja en comparación con los métodos de enriquecimiento tradicionales.

Métrica de emisión de carbono	2023 datos
Emisiones anuales de carbono evitadas	52,000 toneladas métricas
Intensidad de producción de carbono de producción de energía	0 g de CO2/kWh
Objetivo de reducción de carbono para 2030	40%

Protocolos integrales de gestión y eliminación de residuos radiactivos

Energía de Centrus implementa rigurosos protocolos de gestión de residuos con 99.8% Cumplimiento de los estándares de la Comisión Reguladora Nuclear.

Métrica de gestión de residuos	2023 rendimiento
Volumen de residuos radiactivos	3.2 metros cúbicos
Tasa de cumplimiento de la eliminación de desechos	99.8%
Capacidad de almacenamiento a largo plazo	25 años

Estrategias de evaluación del impacto ambiental y mitigación

La Compañía realiza evaluaciones integrales de impacto ambiental con Auditorías ambientales de terceros anuales.

Métrica de evaluación ambiental	2023 datos
Frecuencia de auditoría ambiental	Anual
Violaciones de cumplimiento ambiental	0
Inversión de mitigación	$ 2.5 millones

Prácticas sostenibles en el enriquecimiento de uranio y procesos de producción de combustible nuclear

Centrus Energy utiliza tecnología avanzada de centrífuga estadounidense con Impacto ambiental significativamente reducido.

Métrica de sostenibilidad	2023 rendimiento
Reducción del uso del agua	35%
Mejora de la eficiencia energética	22%
Inversión de producción sostenible	$ 4.7 millones

Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) - PESTLE Analysis: Social factors

Sociological

You're looking at Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) at a time when the social tide is defintely turning in favor of nuclear power, which is a massive tailwind for the company's domestic enrichment plans. Public opinion is a critical, often-overlooked factor in long-term infrastructure projects, and right now, the public is on board.

The latest data from the 2025 National Nuclear Energy Public Opinion Survey confirms this shift. A significant majority-72% of Americans-favor the use of nuclear energy as a source of electricity. This is a strong mandate that lowers the political and social friction Centrus faces when planning major expansions.

The public is increasingly recognizing nuclear power's role in energy security and climate goals. It's a clean energy source that is also reliable.

Public Support for Nuclear Energy is High, with 72% of Americans Favoring its Use in 2025

The high level of public support in 2025 is not just a passive preference; it translates into a more favorable operating environment for Centrus. This widespread acceptance is crucial for the company, especially as it seeks federal funding and local community support for its multi-billion-dollar expansion.

The Bisconti Research survey from June 2025 also highlighted that 64% of respondents agreed that the U.S. should defintely build more nuclear power plants in the future. This is a direct endorsement of Centrus's core business model of restoring U.S. enrichment capacity.

Here's a quick look at the national sentiment on nuclear energy as of mid-2025:

• 72% favor the use of nuclear energy.
• 28% oppose its use.
• 29% strongly favor nuclear energy.
• 6% strongly oppose it.

The Piketon, Ohio Expansion is Expected to Create 1,000 Construction and 300 New Operations Jobs in a High-Unemployment Region

Centrus Energy's planned expansion of its Piketon, Ohio, facility-the only current U.S. site producing High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU)-is a major economic boon for Southern Ohio. This investment is projected to inject substantial employment into a region that needs it.

The project is expected to generate a total of 1,300 new jobs: 1,000 construction jobs for the multi-billion-dollar expansion and at least 300 new permanent operations jobs. Plus, Centrus will retain its 127 current positions at the site. This is a significant local impact.

The Piketon area is located in Pike County, which is classified as a high-unemployment region. In August 2025, Pike County's unemployment rate was 7.2%, which was nearly double the national rate of 4.3% and well above the Ohio state average of 4.9% for the same period.

This economic revitalization aspect provides Centrus with strong community and political backing, positioning the company as a key driver of regional economic stability.

Employment Impact (Piketon Expansion)	Number of Jobs	Regional Context (August 2025)	Unemployment Rate
New Construction Jobs	1,000	Pike County, Ohio	7.2%
New Permanent Operations Jobs	300	Ohio State Average	4.9%
Current Positions Retained	127	U.S. National Average	4.3%
Total New/Retained Jobs	1,427

Hiring Requires Extensive, Specialized Training and Security Clearances, Posing a Challenge for Rapid Workforce Ramp-Up

While the job creation is a huge positive, the specialized nature of uranium enrichment presents a substantial human capital challenge. The Piketon facility uses American Centrifuge technology to produce HALEU, a process not currently being performed at scale anywhere else in the U.S.

This means the talent pool for the 300 new operations jobs is extremely limited. Centrus must invest heavily in creating a new, highly-skilled workforce, which requires:

• Developing specialized training programs from the ground up.
• Securing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing for all key personnel.
• Obtaining stringent federal security clearances for employees handling enriched uranium.

The company is addressing this by partnering with state entities like JobsOhio for talent acquisition and training services, but the ramp-up will still be slower than a typical manufacturing expansion. Centrus is leveraging the existing industrial, manufacturing-versed workforce in Southern Ohio, which is a good starting point, but the specialized nuclear training is the bottleneck.

Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) - PESTLE Analysis: Technological factors

The technological landscape for Centrus Energy Corp. is defintely dominated by its unique position in the High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) supply chain. This isn't just a niche product; it's the critical fuel for the next generation of nuclear power, giving Centrus a significant first-mover advantage and a direct technological moat.

Centrus is the only U.S. company licensed to produce High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU)

Centrus Energy is currently the only entity in the Western world licensed to produce HALEU, which is uranium enriched to between 5% and 20% in the fissile isotope Uranium-235. This is a massive technological advantage and a critical national security asset for the U.S. government, which is focused on re-establishing a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain to reduce reliance on foreign, state-owned enterprises. The company's Piketon, Ohio, plant is the only facility in the United States licensed to enrich uranium up to 19.75 percent.

This sole-source status means Centrus is the bottleneck for dozens of advanced reactor designs under development by U.S. companies. That's a powerful position to be in.

Completed Phase 2 of the DOE HALEU contract in June 2025, delivering 900 kilograms of fuel

The successful execution of the Department of Energy (DOE) HALEU demonstration project is the clearest validation of Centrus's technology. In June 2025, the company completed Phase 2 of the contract, achieving the production target by delivering 900 kilograms of HALEU to the DOE. In fact, Centrus had produced and delivered over 920 kilograms of HALEU to the Department under the contract by that time. This milestone proves their advanced centrifuge technology, the AC100M, is commercially viable and capable of predictable, large-scale production, which is exactly what the market needed to see.

DOE exercised a Phase 3 option for HALEU production valued at approximately $110.0 million through June 30, 2026

Following the successful Phase 2 completion, the DOE exercised an option to extend the HALEU production contract, initiating Phase 3. This extension is valued at approximately $110.0 million and runs through June 30, 2026. This provides immediate, high-visibility revenue and demonstrates sustained government commitment to Centrus's technology. Here's the quick math: this Phase 3 extension is for an additional year of production, maintaining the annual production rate of 900 kilograms of HALEU UF6, which is crucial for federal reactor demonstration programs.

The original contract also includes options for up to eight additional years of production beyond June 30, 2026, which, if fully exercised, would provide revenue visibility of up to $1.1 billion.

HALEU Contract Phase	Completion Date (2025 FY Focus)	Production Target	Contract Value/Extension Value
Phase 1	Late 2023	20 kilograms of HALEU	Part of initial multi-phase contract
Phase 2	June 2025	900 kilograms of HALEU	Part of initial multi-phase contract
Phase 3 (Option 1a)	June 30, 2026	900 kilograms of HALEU UF6	Approximately $110.0 million

HALEU enables smaller, safer advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and reduces nuclear waste volume

The core technological opportunity for Centrus is tied to the adoption of advanced nuclear reactor designs, particularly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). HALEU is the key enabler here because its higher enrichment level-up to 20% U-235 compared to the standard 3% to 5% Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU)-allows for significantly higher power density.

This higher density translates directly into better reactor economics and performance:

• Enables smaller, more compact reactor cores for SMRs.
• Allows for longer operating cycles, sometimes up to ten years, reducing downtime and refueling frequency.
• Facilitates advanced reactor designs that incorporate enhanced passive safety features.
• Supports designs that can potentially reduce the volume and radiotoxicity of nuclear waste through more efficient fuel burn-up or by consuming long-lived isotopes.

The technology is the future of nuclear power, and Centrus is the only domestic supplier right now. That's a huge competitive moat.

Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) - PESTLE Analysis: Legal factors

Operations are under strict Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license SNM-2011 for the American Centrifuge Plant.

Centrus Energy Corp.'s core operations at the Piketon, Ohio site are governed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Special Nuclear Material (SNM) License No. SNM-2011, which was originally issued in 2007 and runs for a 30-year period. This license is the bedrock of their domestic enrichment capability, but it requires continuous amendment and review for new activities. The company's focus has shifted from commercial Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) production to High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) production, which necessitated a significant license amendment.

The NRC has been actively reviewing and granting extensions for the HALEU demonstration program. For instance, the NRC approved a license amendment in December 2024 to allow HALEU operations to continue until June 30, 2025. Following this, in February 2025, Centrus Energy Corp. submitted a license amendment application for the continuation of HALEU operations (Phase III), which covers three, 3-year optional periods starting on July 1, 2025. The NRC staff anticipated completing its detailed review of this application by June 23, 2025. This constant cycle of regulatory review is a permanent cost of doing business in nuclear fuel.

The NRC is also considering an amendment to extend the HALEU demonstration program operations through June 30, 2034, which aligns with the potential multi-year government contracts.

Compliance with the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act requires securing waivers until the ban is fully phased in by 2028.

The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, signed into law in May 2024, immediately created a legal risk for Centrus Energy Corp.'s LEU segment, which relies on sourcing enriched uranium from Russia under existing contracts. The ban on Russian-enriched uranium imports became effective on August 11, 2024, and is set to remain in place until the end of 2040.

To manage this near-term supply chain risk, the Act allows for waivers to be granted by the Department of Energy (DOE) until January 1, 2028, provided there is no viable alternative source or the import is in the national interest. Centrus Energy Corp. successfully secured a DOE waiver in July 2024 for already-committed deliveries to U.S. customers in 2024 and 2025. Critically, as of August 4, 2025, the DOE granted a further waiver to cover all currently committed contracts through 2027.

This waiver process is a temporary fix, but it buys time for domestic production to scale.

The company has also filed, or plans to file, additional waiver requests:

• A second waiver for importing Russian LEU for processing and re-export to foreign customers.
• A third waiver for uncommitted imports in 2026 and 2027 for use in the USA.

This dependence on waivers highlights the legal vulnerability of Centrus Energy Corp.'s LEU segment until its domestic enrichment capacity can replace the Russian supply.

Nuclear materials handling and security plans require continuous NRC approval for new operations, like the HALEU cascade.

The operation of the HALEU cascade, which is the only NRC-licensed HALEU production facility in the U.S., is a constant regulatory undertaking. The company must maintain strict compliance with nuclear materials handling and security plans, which are subject to continuous NRC oversight and operational readiness reviews. The successful completion of these reviews led to the NRC authorization to introduce uranium hexafluoride into the 16-machine centrifuge cascade.

The financial impact of these regulatory requirements is visible in the Technical Solutions segment, which manages the HALEU contract. Costs incurred under the HALEU Operation Contract increased by $9.7 million in the second quarter of 2025 and $8.5 million in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same periods in 2024, reflecting the ramp-up of operations and associated regulatory compliance costs.

The DOE's commitment to the HALEU project, which requires NRC sign-off, is substantial. The DOE exercised Option 1a of the HALEU Operation Contract, extending the period of performance to June 30, 2026. This option has a target cost of approximately $99.3 million and a target fee of $8.7 million. The regulatory framework is directly tied to the company's revenue stream.

Here's the quick math on the near-term HALEU contract value under the DOE agreement:

HALEU Operation Contract Phase	Period of Performance	Target Cost (Approx.)	Target Fee (Approx.)
Phase 2 Production Target Achieved	June 25, 2025	N/A	N/A
Option 1a (Phase 3 Start)	Extended to June 30, 2026	$99.3 million	$8.7 million
Option 1b (Future)	July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2028	$163.5 million	$15.2 million

The company successfully delivered 900 kilograms of HALEU UF6 to the DOE on June 25, 2025, meeting the Phase 2 production target. This achievement is a key regulatory and operational milestone that supports the continued NRC authorization for the facility.

Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) - PESTLE Analysis: Environmental factors

The environmental profile for Centrus Energy Corp. is a double-edged sword: the company is a critical enabler of the US clean energy transition, but its operations still involve managing highly regulated radioactive and hazardous materials. The core opportunity lies in the fact that High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) is the fuel that makes next-generation, low-carbon nuclear power possible.

HALEU production supports the global push for carbon-free electricity generation.

Centrus Energy's primary environmental opportunity is its role in decarbonization. HALEU, enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235, is essential for advanced reactor designs like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and microreactors, which are key to meeting net-zero emissions goals. The market opportunity reflects this importance; the HALEU market value is projected to grow from an estimated $0.26 billion in 2025 to $6.2 billion by 2035. Centrus is the only company in the U.S. licensed to produce this fuel, giving it a unique position in the clean energy supply chain.

By June 2025, Centrus had successfully produced and delivered 900 kilograms of HALEU UF6 to the Department of Energy (DOE), completing Phase 2 of its contract. This material is now being used to qualify fuel for advanced reactor demonstration programs. For context, Centrus has provided its utility customers with over 1,850 reactor years of fuel since 1998, which is equivalent to displacing more than 7 billion tons of coal from the energy mix. That's a powerful environmental metric.

The HALEU process generates low-level radioactive, mixed, and hazardous waste requiring strict offsite disposal protocols.

While the centrifuge technology used at the Piketon, Ohio, American Centrifuge Plant is far cleaner than the old gaseous diffusion process, it still generates regulated waste streams. The production of HALEU from uranium hexafluoride (UF6) creates 'tails,' which is depleted uranium (DU). This material is not classified as waste but is a byproduct that Centrus stores on-site, with the expectation that the DOE will eventually take ownership for beneficial reuse or conversion.

For actual waste, the volumes are small but require stringent management under Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols. Honestly, the biggest risk here is public perception, not volume, given the site's historical contamination issues.

Waste Type	Generation Estimate (HALEU Cascade)	Disposal Protocol / Status
Hazardous Waste	Conservative estimate of two 55-gallon drums annually for long-term operations.	Shipped offsite within 90 days of generation to a licensed treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF).
Depleted Uranium (Tails)	Process byproduct (not classified as waste).	Stored on-site by Centrus; expected to be turned over to the DOE for potential beneficial reuse or conversion.
Radiological Discharges (Surface Water)	Low levels of alpha/beta radiation, uranium, technetium-99, and plutonium isotopes detected in late 2024.	Must remain within U.S. regulatory safety limits, though some levels in late 2024 were noted as exceeding WHO/EU screening levels for drinking water.

Advanced reactor designs using HALEU can inherently reduce the overall volume of spent nuclear fuel waste.

This is where the environmental opportunity truly shines for Centrus and the advanced nuclear sector. HALEU enables advanced reactor designs to operate with a much higher fuel burnup, meaning the fuel stays in the reactor longer and extracts more energy. This directly reduces the mass of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) that needs to be stored long-term.

Here's the quick math on waste reduction potential:

• Higher burnup in Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) reactors reduces the total mass of SNF.
• Advanced fuel concepts using HALEU, such as the HALEU-Thorium ANEEL fuel Centrus is collaborating on, are projected to reduce the waste volume in certain existing reactors by more than 80 percent.
• Future fuel recycling capabilities, which HALEU-fueled reactors are designed to support, could recover up to 95% of usable material from SNF, effectively turning a waste problem into a fuel source.

The entire advanced reactor ecosystem is built on the promise of a more sustainable fuel cycle, and Centrus is defintely the gatekeeper to that cycle in the US.