Westinghouse to fabricate LEU+ fuel at expanded S.C. facility

[Marlin]

Westinghouse to fabricate LEU+ fuel at expanded S.C. facility

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-10-23/article-8513/westinghouse-to-fabricate-leu-fuel-at-expanded-sc-facility/

[Core Content]

Westinghouse plans a one billion dollar investment to build a new fuel fabrication facility in South Carolina. The plant will produce uranium enriched up to eight percent for commercial light water reactors, targeting commercial operation by 2030.

The expansion enables production of higher enriched fuel that extends reactor operating cycles from eighteen to twenty-four months. This project aligns with industry shifts toward advanced fuel designs and increased automation, positioning the facility to compete with other suppliers securing similar regulatory approvals.

Westinghouse has announced that it will invest $1 billion to construct a new plant to fabricate fuel with uranium enriched up to 8 percent U-235 on the site of its Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (CFFF) in Hopkins, S.C.

Westinghouse has completed pre-construction preparation work on the site and, since 2024, has engaged with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission ahead of submitting an application to amend its existing facility license. It aims to produce 600 metric tons uranium of fuel each year beginning in 2030.

Advances in fuel technology: Westinghouse's existing CFFF is a licensed Category III fuel fabrication facility, allowed to process low-enriched uranium fuel enriched to less than 10 percent uranium-235.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-10-23/article-8513/westinghouse-to-fabricate-leu-fuel-at-expanded-sc-facility/