The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management announced on February 4, 2026, that it has restarted uranium recovery operations at the H Canyon facility within the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The agency stated the move is designed to strengthen the domestic nuclear industrial base and advance energy independence by recovering uranium and valuable isotopes from used nuclear fuel. H Canyon, which has operated for more than 70 years, is the only operating, production-scale, radiologically shielded chemical separations facility in the United States.
What it means
The restart allows the Savannah River Site to produce high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), a fuel type required for advanced nuclear reactors. According to the Department of Energy, the current inventory of used nuclear fuel at the site contains enough material to create 19 metric tons of HALEU. The agency said this production supports Executive Orders titled “Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base” and “Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security.” EM Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh said the initiative maximizes the value of existing assets while supplying America’s next generation of advanced nuclear reactors.
Beyond fuel production, the recovery process addresses waste management challenges. The Department of Energy noted that recovering uranium from used fuel before final disposal reduces the number of high-level waste canisters required for storage. This reduction advances the Office of Environmental Management’s cleanup mission by lowering long-term risks and costs associated with waste disposal. While resuming uranium recovery, H Canyon will continue its existing operations to safely process used nuclear fuel as part of the site’s broader environmental cleanup mandate.
Key facts
- Facility: H Canyon at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina
- Action: Restart of uranium recovery operations from used nuclear fuel
- Capacity: 19 metric tons of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) can be created from current inventory
- History: H Canyon has operated for more than 70 years
- Status: Only operating, production-scale, radiologically shielded chemical separations facility in the U.S.
- Purpose: Support advanced reactor fuel supply and reduce high-level waste canister counts
- Policy alignment: Supports Executive Orders on reinvigorating the nuclear industrial base and deploying advanced reactor technologies
Source: Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management news release (energy.gov)