Seems to me that if Urenco apply for enrichment up to 10% it may...

Seems to me that if Urenco apply for enrichment up to 10% it may not get the necessary license for at least 5 years, 5.5% would be considered as LEU+ so they could apply for some of the IRA I suppose?

https://world-nuclear.org/informati...hment-and-fabrication/uranium-enrichment.aspx

(Updated October 2022)


Today, 5% U-235 is the maximum level of enrichment for fuel used in normal power reactors. However, especially in relation to new small reactor designs, there is increasing interest in higher enrichment levels. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a licence amendment for Urenco USA to enrich to 5.5% U-235, and it plans to apply for a 10% limit in 2023. Urenco's Capenhurst plant in the UK is licensed to enrich up to 6%. Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, a GE Hitachi fuel fabricator, has applied to use 8% enriched uranium. Orano said in mid-2021 that it was preparing to go to 6% in 2023 and was planning for licence limits of 10%. The planned Wilmington North Carolina plant of Global Laser Enrichment (see below) is licensed to enrich to 8%. Rosatom has said that it can provide higher enrichment levels than 5%. Centrus in the USA was licensed in mid-2021 to produce up to 600 kg per year of high-assay LEU up to 20% in its small centrifuge plant.
High-assay LEU (HALEU) is anything between 5% and 20% U-235, and the higher levels in this range are needed for some advanced power reactor fuels. Some small demand already exists for research reactors. However such HALEU fuel is best produced onsite where it is converted from fluoride and fabricated into fuel, to avoid the need for special transport packages for HALEU UF₆. For enrichment levels up to 10%, called LEU+, existing transport casks can be modified. Above 10% the HALEU requires enhanced physical security and different licensing.


https://www.nei.org/CorporateSite/m...advanced-fuel-cycle-infrastructure-201801.pdf
See page 21 for the expected timelines on licensing
NEI White Paper
January 2018
21
Note: Steps 3-5 for development of Enrichment capability may in part be
performed in parallel to reduce the overall time. However, the overall time
to complete all activities is considered as what can be reasonably
achieved.

Page 6
In September 2012, NRC staff issued a license to construct and
operate the facility. The facility is licensed to enrich to 8% uranium-235 with
notification of the NRC 60 days in advance of withdrawal of material
enriched to greater than 5%. Construction of the facility is not being pursued
at this time.
That was back in 2018, a lot has changed since then , and Wilmington seems to be going full steam ahead.
It's worth noting -:where will GNF-A get the 8% enriched Uranium for it's fuel?
also worth remembering the words about fuel manufacturing should happen where the fuel is enriched.