The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) established the High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) Consortium to help inform activities carried out by the Department to secure a domestic supply of HALEU. Section 2001 of the Energy Act of 2020 directs the Secretary of Energy to establish and carry out, through the Department’s Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), the HALEU Availability Program (referred to as the Program), including establishing the HALEU Consortium.
Currently, there is a very limited domestic capacity to provide HALEU from either DOE or commercial sources. This presents a significant obstacle to the development and deployment of advanced reactors and increases the risk of private investment to develop an assured supply of HALEU or to support the infrastructure required to produce it.
The purposes of the HALEU Consortium include:
- Provide the Secretary of Energy HALEU demand estimates for domestic commercial use.
- Purchase HALEU made available to members for commercial use under the Program.
- Carry out demonstration projects using HALEU under the Program.
- Identify actionable opportunities to improve the reliability of the HALEU supply chain.
Read the Federal Register Notice of Establishment: High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) Consortium.
Click above to view current HALEU Consortium Members
Joining the HALEU Consortium
The HALEU Consortium is one way for NE to bring together individual members of the HALEU community and is intended to serve as an important mechanism of communication for NE and the consortium members. NE will coordinate HALEU Consortium membership and consortium activities consistent with its purposes and objectives.
Membership is free and is open to U.S. entities involved in any stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. Any such entities that are interested in partnering with the Department to support HALEU availability for civilian domestic demonstration and commercial use are encouraged to apply for membership in the consortium. At its discretion, DOE may also accept requests for membership in the consortium from entities whose facilities are located in ally or partner nations.
Entities interested in becoming a member of the HALEU Consortium should send an email to HALEUConsortium@nuclear.energy.gov asking to join.
DOE-supported advanced reactor development projects.
The request should explain the entity’s involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle and the entity’s interest in partnering with DOE. It should also include contact information for the entity’s representative(s), including name, affiliation, email, and phone number.
Upon receipt of a request and confirmation that the requestor is an entity engaged in the nuclear fuel cycle and eligible for membership, NE will notify the entity that it is a member of the consortium and list the entity as a member of the consortium on the NE website. Any events, travel, lodging, and related expenses are the responsibility of the member entity.
If a member wishes to resign its membership, the member should send an email to HALEUConsortium@nuclear.energy.gov. Resignation from the consortium shall become effective immediately upon receipt by NE of notice of the entity’s wish to resign.