Orano USA chooses Oak Ridge for Uranium Enrichment Operations

Before Orano’s announcement of a multibillion-dollar uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the French state-owned company was relatively unknown outside the nuclear sector. Orano is a leading global producer of uranium fuel and has significant operations in uranium mining, enrichment, and recycling, holding a substantial share of the market. The new Oak Ridge facility represents the largest investment in Tennessee’s history and aims to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign nuclear fuel sources. The project, named “IKE” after President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech, is part of Tennessee’s strategy to enhance its nuclear energy capabilities. Orano, with a history dating back to the 1950s and significant French government ownership, will collaborate with local institutions and leverage the existing nuclear infrastructure, including the Tennessee Valley Authority.