New consortium will seek agreements that will ‘help power the nuclear renaissance’
The US Department of Energy (DOE) said it has taken a major step in strengthening domestic nuclear fuel cycle supply chains by establishing a consortium that will reduce the country’s reliance on foreign sources of enriched uranium and critical materials needed to power the nuclear renaissance.
The DOE said it is establishing the Defense Production Act (DPA) Consortium and will seek voluntary agreements with US companies.
Under the consortium, voluntary agreements will allow industry consultation to develop plans of action to ensure that the nuclear fuel supply chain capacity for mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, deconversion, fabrication, recycling and reprocessing is available to enable the continued reliable operation of the nation’s reactors.
The DOE said its office of nuclear energy will be working with industry participants in the coming weeks to identify participants as well as near and long-term goals. The first meeting of the consortium is on 14 October 2025.
“There are major gaps in our nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure that leave the United States heavily dependent on foreign sources of enriched uranium,” said acting assistant energy secretary Mike Goff.
He said that by using the Defense Production Act, the DOE will be able to take swift action to bring all parties to the table to “accelerate our path toward a more secure and independent energy future.”
The Defense Production Act, enacted in 1950, grants the president authority to ensure the supply of materials and services essential for national defence. It has been expanded to include domestic emergencies and public health crises.
Recent executive orders issued by Donald Trump included an order for the energy secretary to prioritise agreements for the procurement of low-enriched uranium (LEU) and Haleu fuel.
LEU serves as fuel for most commercial nuclear power reactors. Haleu is a type of nuclear fuel enriched to a higher concentration than traditional nuclear fuel. The development of a secure Haleu supply chain in the US is considered crucial for the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.
Companies interested in joining the DPA Consortium should send an email to DPAConsortium@nuclear.energy.gov.
The request should explain the company’s involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle and interest in partnering with the DOE, along with the name(s) of representative, email and phone number.
