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Our History

Our history begins in 1992, when the Treaty of Washington paved the way for Urenco’s centrifuge technology to be deployed in the United States.

The company originally planned to operate in the state of Louisiana, but due to overwhelming community support, was built in Eunice, New Mexico. Because the original plant was planned in Louisiana, the official licensee is Louisiana Energy Services, or LES; but our operations are based in southeastern New Mexico and we do business as UUSA - The National Enrichment Facility.

UUSA was the first new nuclear project in the U.S. in almost 30 years. We invested around $5 billion our facility, which was one of the largest construction projects in the state of New Mexico.

Our facility was the first project to be issued a combined construction and operating license by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Construction began in December 2006 and was completed in three phases. During construction, UUSA logged over 17 million work hours without a Lost Time Incident (LTI), a testament to our strong safety culture.

The site began producing enriched uranium in June 2010 and the first customer delivery was completed in March 2012. After 12 years of operation, UUSA has never missed a customer delivery and, in May of 2022, our facility celebrated our 500th safe and successful product shipment.

As it stands today, our site has sixty-four cascades online and produces about 5M SWU per year, which is sufficient capacity to meet approximately one-third of the annual U.S. demand for enrichment services.

Operational & Regulatory Timeline

  • <h3>1970</h3><p>Urenco was founded following the signing of the Treaty of Almelo by the governments of Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. An agreement between the Troika states for the development and exploitation of the gas centrifuge process used in the production of enriched uranium. Urenco was incorporated.</p>

    1970

    Urenco was founded following the signing of the Treaty of Almelo by the governments of Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. An agreement between the Troika states for the development and exploitation of the gas centrifuge process used in the production of enriched uranium. Urenco was incorporated.

    <h3>1970</h3><p>Urenco was founded following the signing of the Treaty of Almelo by the governments of Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. An agreement between the Troika states for the development and exploitation of the gas centrifuge process used in the production of enriched uranium. Urenco was incorporated.</p>

    1970

    Urenco was founded following the signing of the Treaty of Almelo by the governments of Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. An agreement between the Troika states for the development and exploitation of the gas centrifuge process used in the production of enriched uranium. Urenco was incorporated.

  • <h3>1971</h3><p>Capenhurst and Almelo sites opened.</p>

    1971

    Capenhurst and Almelo sites opened.

    <h3>1971</h3><p>Capenhurst and Almelo sites opened.</p>

    1971

    Capenhurst and Almelo sites opened.

  • <h3>1985</h3><p>Gronau site opened.</p>

    1985

    Gronau site opened.

    <h3>1985</h3><p>Gronau site opened.</p>

    1985

    Gronau site opened.

  • <h3>1992</h3><p>Treaty of Washington - Agreement between the Troika states and the U.S government permitting the transfer of classified information into the United States.</p>

    1992

    Treaty of Washington - Agreement between the Troika states and the U.S government permitting the transfer of classified information into the United States.

    <h3>1992</h3><p>Treaty of Washington - Agreement between the Troika states and the U.S government permitting the transfer of classified information into the United States.</p>

    1992

    Treaty of Washington - Agreement between the Troika states and the U.S government permitting the transfer of classified information into the United States.

  • 2001

    Urenco Group capacity reaches 5M SWU.

    2001

    Urenco Group capacity reaches 5M SWU.

  • <h3>2003</h3><p>Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. submits license application to build in New Mexico.</p>

    2003

    Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. submits license application to build in New Mexico.

    <h3>2003</h3><p>Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. submits license application to build in New Mexico.</p>

    2003

    Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. submits license application to build in New Mexico.

  • <h3>2006</h3><p>June: Construct and Operate License issued to Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. by the NRC.</p><p>August: Ground-breaking at the new UUSA site in Eunice, New Mexico.</p>

    2006

    June: Construct and Operate License issued to Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. by the NRC.

    August: Ground-breaking at the new UUSA site in Eunice, New Mexico.

    <h3>2006</h3><p>June: Construct and Operate License issued to Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. by the NRC.</p><p>August: Ground-breaking at the new UUSA site in Eunice, New Mexico.</p>

    2006

    June: Construct and Operate License issued to Louisiana Energy Services, LLC. by the NRC.

    August: Ground-breaking at the new UUSA site in Eunice, New Mexico.

  • <h3>2008</h3><p>Urenco Group capacity reaches 10M SWU.</p>

    2008

    Urenco Group capacity reaches 10M SWU.

    <h3>2008</h3><p>Urenco Group capacity reaches 10M SWU.</p>

    2008

    Urenco Group capacity reaches 10M SWU.

  • <h3>2009</h3><p>First centrifuge installed at UUSA.</p>

    2009

    First centrifuge installed at UUSA.

    <h3>2009</h3><p>First centrifuge installed at UUSA.</p>

    2009

    First centrifuge installed at UUSA.

  • <h3>2010</h3><p>NRC authorized UUSA to operate.</p><p>Full enrichment production in the first cascade hall at UUSA. </p>

    2010

    NRC authorized UUSA to operate.

    Full enrichment production in the first cascade hall at UUSA. 

    <h3>2010</h3><p>NRC authorized UUSA to operate.</p><p>Full enrichment production in the first cascade hall at UUSA. </p>

    2010

    NRC authorized UUSA to operate.

    Full enrichment production in the first cascade hall at UUSA. 

  • <h3>2012</h3><p>UUSA Phase I construction is completed. UUSA Phase II construction begins. Board approves construction of UUSA Phase III.</p>

    2012

    UUSA Phase I construction is completed. UUSA Phase II construction begins. Board approves construction of UUSA Phase III.

    <h3>2012</h3><p>UUSA Phase I construction is completed. UUSA Phase II construction begins. Board approves construction of UUSA Phase III.</p>

    2012

    UUSA Phase I construction is completed. UUSA Phase II construction begins. Board approves construction of UUSA Phase III.

  • <h3>2014</h3><p>Urenco Group achieved enrichment capacity target of 18M SWU. </p><p>48 cascades in production at UUSA.</p>

    2014

    Urenco Group achieved enrichment capacity target of 18M SWU. 

    48 cascades in production at UUSA.

    <h3>2014</h3><p>Urenco Group achieved enrichment capacity target of 18M SWU. </p><p>48 cascades in production at UUSA.</p>

    2014

    Urenco Group achieved enrichment capacity target of 18M SWU. 

    48 cascades in production at UUSA.

  • <h3>2016</h3><p>UUSA Phase III construction is completed.</p>

    2016

    UUSA Phase III construction is completed.

    <h3>2016</h3><p>UUSA Phase III construction is completed.</p>

    2016

    UUSA Phase III construction is completed.

  • <h3>2022</h3><p>UUSA celebrated its 500th safe and successful product delivery.</p>

    2022

    UUSA celebrated its 500th safe and successful product delivery.

    <h3>2022</h3><p>UUSA celebrated its 500th safe and successful product delivery.</p>

    2022

    UUSA celebrated its 500th safe and successful product delivery.

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