Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issues License for enCore Energy's Dewey Burdock Uranium Project
enCore Energy Corp. (EU) has secured a 20-year renewal of its Source Materials License from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its Dewey Burdock In-Situ Recovery (ISR) Uranium Project in South Dakota. The license, designated as SUA-1600, is effective until June 2046. This regulatory milestone marks the completion of the Safety Evaluation Report, representing the final step in the federal license renewal process and confirming that the project now holds all necessary federal permits.
The renewal follows the recent issuance of the Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and the Programmatic Agreement, which were announced on June 22, 2026. Additionally, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a decision authorizing the commencement of infrastructure construction on portions of the Dewey Burdock Project located on BLM-managed public lands. The project was previously approved for inclusion in the U.S. Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council's FAST-41 Program on August 28, 2025, with the NRC acting as the lead agency to facilitate an accelerated permitting review.
The Dewey Burdock Project encompasses 10,580 acres, comprising 10,340 acres of private surface rights and 240 acres of BLM surface rights. The site utilizes In-Situ Recovery (ISR) technology, which employs an oxygen and water-based solution to dissolve uranium minerals in place, producing yellowcake for nuclear fuel.
While federal permitting requirements have been satisfied, the project remains subject to additional permitting by the State of South Dakota, which is mandatory before the project can proceed to full operational status. enCore has commenced these state-level permitting efforts.
William M. Sheriff, Executive Chair, commented on the development: "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to congratulate our team for their efforts to secure the 20-year extension to the NRC license. I also want to thank the NRC and the Permitting Council for their significant efforts to issue this renewal in such an efficient and effective manner. And to the community, we stand by our commitments to work together to see that the local communities and State, and our shareholders, benefit from this project as we continue to uphold our commitment to always operate with best practices to protect the people, land, air, and water."