UPDATE 1-Centrus Energy to start nuclear fuel production two months ahead of schedule
(Adds fuel background, production plan details in paragraphs 3-5)
Sept 6 (Reuters) - Centrus Energy Corp said on Wednesday it expects to start producing a fuel that will be used in next-generation nuclear reactors, two months ahead of schedule.
The company said production of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) will begin in October.
HALEU is a nuclear fuel required for next-generation reactors, the design of which is currently under development.
The fuel, which Joe Biden's administration sees as critical in cutting carbon emissions, is expected to be used in reactors in the works by U.S. companies including X-energy and TerraPower.
Centrus said the capacity of the 16-centrifuge cascade that is expected to begin enrichment operations in October will be about 900 kilograms of HALEU per year, but with sufficient funding and offtake commitments, production could expand significantly. (Reporting by Tanay Dhumal in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Maju Samuel)
