U.S. Awards $900 Million to Orano for First Foreign Uranium Enrichment Plant in Tennessee

French nuclear fuels company Orano has been awarded $900 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to help build a uranium enrichment facility in the United States, the company announced on Tuesday.

The funding confirms U.S. government support for the project and will allow Orano to move ahead with filing a license application with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission by the first half of 2026.

Orano had previously announced plans to build the facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 2024 but was awaiting government funding before proceeding with what will be its first enrichment plant abroad, requiring a total investment of between $4 billion and $5 billion.

The company noted that President Trump signed an executive order last year to reduce regulations and fast-track new licenses for nuclear reactors and power plants while reinvigorating uranium production and enrichment in the country.

Commissioning of the Tennessee plant is expected in 2031.