Nuclear Power Push Triples U.S. Uranium Production in 2025, Says EIA

Written by Paul Wiseman for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

The total of 2.1 million pounds of triuranium octoxide (U3O8) produced in the U.S. in 2025 is the highest since 2017, tripling 2024 production.

Uranium On the Rise

It is no secret that U.S. power demand is on the rise, requiring more generation capacity. In 2025, both the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and Bank of American Institute predicted growth of 1.7% and 2.5%, respectively, for 2026.

It's also true that wind, solar, and battery storage are taking on much of the supply growth. But the old/new kid in the growth neighborhood is nuclear energy--both in new plants and revivals of old (i.e. Three Mile Island, renamed Crane Clean Energy Center in Pennsylvania and Palisades in Michigan, both scheduled for 2027 restarts) and in projected new starts. That's the background for the fact that U.S. uranium production in 2025 was three times that of 2024. Those numbers come from a recent report by the EIA.

Industrial Info Resources is tracking 29 uranium mining and processing projects slated to start construction in 2026-2030, with a total investment value (TIV) of $2.22 billion. The Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database offers a list of detailed project reports.

Baking the Yellowcake

Production of what's called "yellowcake" for its powdery yellow appearance, totaled 2.1 million pounds in 2025, said the EIA. Specifically, that is triuranium octoxide (U3O8), the base component of nuclear reactor fuel. The total was the most for the U.S. since 2017.

Even with that exponential growth, the production in 2025 is only a tiny fraction of the amounts produced in the heyday of U.S. uranium mining. In 1980, national production reached its all-time peak at 43.7 million pounds, putting the U.S. number one in the world, according to a 2020 EIA report.

Price declines in the late 1970s and into the 1980s led to mine closures. That then gave way to growing imports of cheaper product from Australia, Canada, and later, Kazakhstan, among others.

The EIA said the U.S. accounted for only 7% of total U3O8 deliveries to domestic enrichment and fuel fabrication plants in 2025. Top import sources included Canada (32%), Kazakhstan (28%) and Australia (15%). The U.S. percentage of deliveries last year was down slightly 8% in 2024.

Total purchases of triuranium octoxide equivalent by U.S. plants dropped to 46.9 million pounds in 2025, down by 16% compared with the 55.9 million pounds purchased in 2024.

Uranium Mine Project Restarts

Industrial Info Resources VP of Research, Metals and Minerals Joe Govreau pointed out that last year's increase was fueled in part by restarts of stalled mining projects, likely due to the growing interest in nuclear energy.

"Nuclear power growth is needed as a reliable baseload source of clean electricity generation, not just in the U.S., but also worldwide," he said. Industrial Info Resources is tracking six uranium mine restarts, five of which have come online since 2024, and one of which is expected to start producing later this year. The total investment value of those six restarts was $75 million.

"Nuclear power growth is needed as a reliable baseload source of clean electricity generation, not just in the U.S., but also worldwide," he said. Industrial Info Resources is tracking 336 uranium mining projects totaling $47.6 billion worldwide, including 90 projects in the U.S.

End Users and the Process

Once mined, uranium is milled and extracted from the ore, producing U3O8, which is then processed and enriched into uranium dioxide (UO2) powder. From there it is pressed into pellets, then into fuel rods for nuclear reactors. A fuel rod's concentration for classic light water reactors is 3-5%, and is referred to as low-enriched uranium, or LEU.

That's what the restarts of Three Mile Island/Crane Clean Energy Center and Palisades will use, as well as most currently operating sites. Many small modular reactors (SMRs) currently under development, if they utilize a light-water cooling system, will also use it.

However, other SMRs, as well as molten salt reactors such as the one under construction at Abilene Christian University, will instead use high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU).

HALEU also starts with yellowcake, but is refined into a higher concentrate (5-19.75%) instead of the 3-5% level of LEU.

U.S. Mining and Processing

Industrial Info Resources data show four uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication plants currently operating in the U.S.

On the mining side, there are now 13 operational uranium mines in the U.S., with 43 more in the planning stages.

By the Numbers

• 2.1 Million: Pounds of triuranium octoxide (U3O8) mined in the U.S. in 2025
• Triple: How that compares to the amount mined in 2024

Key Takeaways

• As power demand grows worldwide, nuclear is an important part of the zero greenhouse gas options.
• The U.S uranium mining sector is responding, with its highest production since 2017.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).