The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy kicked off a new initiative Thursday centered around bolstering the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain by 2033.
The new initiative “Nuclear Dominance – 3 by 33” has the federal government working with industry to build up the many aspects of the nuclear supply chain, including uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel recycling and reprocessing. The initiative will be completed by the Office of Nuclear Energy via the Defense Production Act (DPA) Nuclear Fuel Cycle Consortium, according to the DOE’s press release.
On Thursday, the consortium held an event at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center with partners and the public to outline its three goals for the initiative, according to the release. Basically, the program seeks to shore up nuclear fuel supplies for both existing reactors and future advanced reactors in the United States.
By 2033, the consortium plans:
- To build a secure and cost-competitive domestic fuel supply chain
- To expedite advanced reactor development and closing the fuel cycle
- Explore how the DPA framework can expand the nuclear buildout
According to the release, the initiative will begin a series of “60-day sprints” focused on making fast progress on the consortium’s goals. The DPA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Consortium made up of “representatives from more than 90 companies spanning the nuclear industrial base,” DOE said.
“The consortium’s work comes at a pivotal time for nuclear energy growth in our country,” Ted Garrish, assistant secretary for nuclear energy, said. “I’m pleased with the dedication of the committee and am looking forward to rapid progress on near term goals to achieve a robust American-made supply of nuclear fuel.”
The consortium was formed in August 2025 to create collaboration with U.S. nuclear fuel companies and the government to increase domestic fuel availability and reduce reliance on foreign nuclear supply.
The Defense Production Act, first enacted in 1950, grants the president powers to mobilize domestic industrial bases to meet national defense needs during emergencies.