NRC opens 60-day public hearing window for Orano’s $5 billion uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a Federal Register notice on August 12, 2026, formally opening a 60-day public hearing window for Orano Enrichment USA’s application to build a centrifuge uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The notice includes a commission order and an announcement of the opportunity to request a contested hearing on what the company calls Project Ike—a proposed $5 billion facility that would process uranium hexafluoride on the site.

NRC publishes Federal Register notice for Project Ike

The August 12 Federal Register notice is the formal starting gun for public participation in the licensing process. It includes a commission order alongside the announcement of the right to request a contested hearing—two distinct elements that together define the legal framework for what comes next.

At the center of this review is Project Ike, Orano’s proposed centrifuge uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Oak Ridge has a long history with nuclear technology, which makes it a fitting—if notable—location for a project of this scale.

That number alone signals how seriously Orano is treating this investment, and why the NRC’s review carries real weight for the nuclear energy sector.

The 60-day clock started running on publication day. If you want to formally participate, there’s a firm deadline to hit.

Why the NRC is reviewing the application

Orano Enrichment USA submitted an application for a license to construct and operate a centrifuge-based uranium enrichment facility. The scope is significant: the plant would reenrich depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF6) tails and enrich natural-grade UF6 to a maximum of 8-weight percent uranium-235.

That enrichment ceiling matters. Most commercial nuclear power reactors run on low-enriched uranium, and 8-weight percent U-235 falls squarely within that category. The facility would function both as a processing site for depleted material and as a production facility for reactor-grade fuel—two roles that together define its strategic value.

Project Ike carries a projected cost of $5 billion. That number alone signals how seriously Orano is treating this investment, and why the NRC’s review carries real weight for the nuclear energy sector. By law, the NRC must provide public notice and a hearing opportunity before issuing a construction and operating license for any nuclear facility. The Federal Register notice fulfills that statutory obligation.

Hearing process and NRC’s intended licensing approach

You’ve got 60 days from August 12 to file a request for a contested hearing. That window won’t be extended automatically.

Filing a request doesn’t guarantee a hearing. The NRC will evaluate any submitted contentions to determine whether they meet the standards required for a formal proceeding—standards designed to ensure only substantive, legally grounded challenges move forward.

If contentions are raised and adjudicated, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has stated it doesn’t intend to hold a second, uncontested hearing before issuing a license. That’s a deliberate call to streamline the licensing timeline while still preserving the statutory right to public participation. The contested hearing, if one happens, is the primary venue. There won’t be a separate open-ended follow-up proceeding stacked on top.

That matters if you want to weigh in. The 60-day window is the moment to act formally.

Background on Orano and U.S. uranium enrichment

Orano is a French nuclear fuel cycle company with majority state ownership and operations spread across multiple countries. Its work spans a broad range of the nuclear fuel chain—mining, enrichment, used fuel management. Project Ike would represent a significant expansion of its U.S. footprint.

Domestic uranium enrichment capacity in the U.S. is currently limited. The primary operating plant is Urenco USA’s facility in New Mexico—a thin bench for a country running a large fleet of commercial nuclear reactors. That gap is exactly why domestic enrichment capacity keeps surfacing in U.S. energy security conversations.

Enriched uranium is a non-negotiable input for commercial nuclear power. Expanding domestic production reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, a point that’s taken on added urgency given recent geopolitical shifts in global energy markets. The depleted UF6 tails angle adds another layer: tails are the low-enrichment byproduct left over after enrichment, typically stored rather than used. Reenriching them recovers additional usable uranium—effectively squeezing more value out of material that would otherwise sit idle.

What to know going forward

Here’s where things stand. The NRC opened a 60-day public hearing window on August 12 for Orano Enrichment USA’s application to build Project Ike—a $5 billion centrifuge uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The facility would process both depleted UF6 tails and natural-grade UF6, enriching the latter to a maximum of 8-weight percent uranium-235.

Anyone wanting to formally challenge or engage with the application has until the end of that 60-day period to file a request for a contested hearing. If contentions are adjudicated, the NRC doesn’t plan to hold a second uncontested hearing before issuing a license.

The project sits at the intersection of U.S. energy security, domestic nuclear fuel supply, and a multibillion-dollar private investment. The NRC’s review will determine whether it moves forward—and there’s now a defined role for the public in that process.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.