Uranium Conversion/Enrichment - Current Issues (USA) 
(last updated 25 Jun 2010)
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> See also Regulatory Issues - USA
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is holding a workshop on February 22, 2008, with stakeholders to seek comment on the proposed quantity thresholds of uranium hexafluoride and uranium tetrafluoride either used for, or derived from, the conversion of uranium oxide to uranium hexafluoride and/or for the deconversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride to an oxide.
> Download NRC announcement Jan. 16, 2008 
(ADAMS ML080090098)
Trade deal signed on import of Russian enriched uranium to the U.S.
U.S. nuclear power reactors will be able to obtain more supplies of Russian enriched uranium for fuel, under a trade deal signed by the two countries on Feb. 1, 2008.
The agreement allows Russia to boost exports to the United States while minimizing any disruption to the United States' domestic enrichment industry.
The deal is allowing for sales of Russian enriched uranium directly to U.S. utilities. Before the agreement, such direct transactions were not permitted.
For years, the U.S. government has restricted Russian uranium shipments, fearing Russia would dump uranium in the U.S. market and financially hurt the major American uranium supplier, USEC Inc.
A spokesman for the Russia's Atomic Energy Agency said with the new trade deal "the volumes of direct deliveries of uranium enrichment services may total 20 percent of the market".
(Reuters Feb. 1, 2008)
Federal Register: February 11, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 28) p. 7705-7708
(download full text )
U.S. DOC releases draft agreement allowing for limited uranium imports from Russia
The Department of Commerce and the Russian Federation's Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom) have initialed a draft amendment to the Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Uranium from the Russian Federation (Suspension
Agreement). The proposed amendment will allow the Russian Federation
to export Russian uranium products to the U.S. market in accordance with the export limits and other terms detailed in the amendment. The Department is now inviting interested parties to comment on the text of the proposed amendment.
Comments must be submitted within thirty (30) days from December 4, 2007.
Federal Register: December 4, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 232) p. 68124-68127
(download full text )
According to the draft agreement, the annual export limits are as follows:
| Year | LEU
[kg U] | Unat contained *)
[t U] | Separative Work contained *)
[million SWU] |
|---|
| 2011 | 16,559 | 166 | 0.10 |
|---|
| 2012 | 24,839 | 250 | 0.15 |
|---|
| 2013 | 41,398 | 416 | 0.25 |
|---|
| 2014 | 485,279 | 4,877 | 2.93 |
|---|
| 2015 | 455,142 | 4,574 | 2.75 |
|---|
| 2016 | 480,146 | 4,826 | 2.90 |
|---|
| 2017 | 490,710 | 4,932 | 2.97 |
|---|
| 2018 | 492,731 | 4,952 | 2.98 |
|---|
| 2019 | 509,058 | 5,116 | 3.08 |
|---|
| 2020 | 514,754 | 5,173 | 3.11 |
|---|
| | | |
|---|
| Total | 3,510,616 | 35,283 | 21.22 |
|---|
*) calculated, based on LEU product assay of 4.4% and tails assay of 0.3%; conversion loss 0.5%
The bulk of the deliveries is to start in 2014, when the US-Russia HEU agreement for the deliveries of LEU downblended from Russian nuclear weapons uranium will have ended. As the US-Russia HEU agreement comprises the annual downblending of approx. 29 t HEU into approx. 910 t LEU (at 4.4% assay, containing 5.5 million SWU), the new deliveries will substitute only about half of the annual deliveries made under the US-Russia HEU agreement.
Russia will have sufficient enrichment capacity available from 2011, as the re-enrichment agreements with Urenco and Eurodif expire in 2009-2010, thereby setting free an annual capacity of 2.58 million SWU. In addition, from 2014, no more blendstock enrichment will be required for the downblending of HEU.
It is, however, unclear, where Russia will procure the necessary natural uranium, as Russia's domestic production was just 3400 t U in 2006.
Exports of Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) to the US should not be covered under a Commerce Department-imposed restriction on Russian "uranium products" sent to the US, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) said September 26, 2007.
In its opinion, the CIT cited a series of cases involving LEU exports to the US by French enricher Eurodif. According to the decisions in those cases, enrichment is a service, rather than a good, and therefore not subject to the relevant US import duties.
The US government, joined by USEC, had initially argued that those decisions
did not apply to the restriction on Russian material. But, as the court
decision put it, the government now "does not oppose a remand" -- a directive to Commerce to rewrite the restriction -- to exclude LEU from the scope of its review. In issuing its remand for "re-determination," the CIT said the government's acknowledgment was "well-founded, because Commerce must abide by the Eurodif decisions."
(Platts Sep. 28, 2007)
> Download Slip Op. 07-143, Techsnabexport v. United States, United States Court of International Trade, Sep. 26, 2007 (PDF)
U.S. ITC votes against Russian uranium imports to U.S.
On July 18, 2006, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that terminating the suspended investigation on imports of uranium from Russia would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.
As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination and the Department of Commerce's recent affirmative finding, the existing suspension agreement will remain in place.
[...]
On March 3, 2005, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the U.S. Court of International Trade's 2003 decision regarding subsidies for Eurodif, holding that overpayment for uranium enrichment services by foreign government entities cannot constitute a countervailable subsidy. (U.S. enricher USEC had alleged that French utility EdF had paid Eurodif greater than adequate compensation for the enrichment of uranium.)
> Download March 3, 2005, Court Opinion 04-1209, Eurodif S.A., et al. v. U.S., et al. (PDF)
On February 28, 2005, DOC preliminarily determined that the total countervailable subsidy rate for Urenco for 2003 is 0.00 percent ad valorem.
Federal Register: March 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 43) p. 10986-10989
(download full text )
On February 28, 2005, DOC preliminarily determined that the total countervailable subsidy rate for Eurodif/COGEMA for 2003 is 1.23 percent ad valorem.
Federal Register: March 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 43) p. 10989-10992
(download full text )
On Feb. 28, 2005, DOC preliminarily determined that a dumping margin of 21.71 percent exists for Eurodif/COGEMA for 2003.
Federal Register: March 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 43) p. 10957-10962 (download full text )
On Sep. 29, 2004, DOC amended the final results of the first antidumping duty administrative review of LEU from France, decreasing COGEMA/Eurodif's weighted-average margin from 5.43 percent to 4.56 percent.
Federal Register: September 29, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 188) p. 58128-58129
(download fullt text )
On July 26, 2004, DOC finally determined that a weighted-average dumping margin of 5.43% (rather than 5.34% in the preliminary determination) exists for COGEMA/Eurodif for the period of July 13, 2001, through January 31, 2003.
Federal Register: August 3, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 148) p. 46501-46508
(download full text )
On June 30, 2004, DOC finally determined ad valorem subsidy rates for Eurodif/COGEMA of 3.63 percent ad valorem for 2001, and 0.71 percent ad valorem for 2002.
Federal Register: July 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 129) p. 40871-40873 (download full text )
On June 30, 2004, DOC finally determined ad valorem subsidy rates for Urenco Group of 1.57 percent ad valorem for 2001, and 1.47 percent ad valorem for 2002.
Federal Register: July 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 129) p. 40869-40871 (download full text )
On January 29, 2004, DOC preliminarily determined that the total estimated net countervailable subsidy rate for Eurodif is 6.54 percent ad valorem for 2001 and 3.03 percent ad valorem for 2002.
Federal Register: February 5, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 24) p. 5502-5505
(download full text )
On January 29, 2004, DOC preliminarily determined that the total estimated net
countervailable subsidy rate for Urenco Group Ltd. is 1.66 percent ad valorem for 2001 and 1.40 percent ad valorem for 2002.
Federal Register: February 5, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 24) p. 5498-5502
(download full text )
On January 20, 2004, Department of Commerce issued a Notice of Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, indicating a Weighted-Average Margin for COGEMA/Eurodif of 5.34%.
Federal Register: January 27, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 17) p. 3883-3887 (download full text )
On September 16, 2003, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) found that DOC's Final Remand Determination of June 23, 2003, is unlawful and reversed it.
> Download United States Court of International Trade Slip Opinion 03-121, USEC Inc. v. United States, 09/16/2003 (PDF)
On Mar. 25, 2003, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) overturned Department of Commerce (DOC) decisions that the enrichers had violated U.S. trade laws in their sales of enrichment services in the U.S. The court vacated DOC's final determinations to slap duties on Urenco and Cogema SWU sales in the U.S. (Platts, Mar. 25, 2003)
> Download United States Court of International Trade
Slip Opinion 03-34, USEC Inc. v. United States, 03/25/2003 (PDF)
On Jan. 22, 2002, the US International Trade Commission approved 32.10 percent duties on enriched uranium imports from France while it approved 2.23 percent tariffs on enriched uranium from Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands. (AFX Jan. 22, 2002)
> View US ITC vote (Jan. 22, 2002)
On Dec. 14, 2001, the US Commerce Department found that French uranium enrichment company Eurodif, had sold its services in the US at almost 20 per cent below fair market price, but virtually cleared UK-based Urenco Group of dumping in the US market. (Financial Times Dec. 15, 2001)
Federal Register: December 21, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 246):
Federal Register: January 3, 2002 (Vol.67, No.2), p.344-345:
> Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
NRC License No. SUB-526, Docket No. 04003392
Converdyn
Aerial view: Google Maps 
· MSRMaps
NRC Facility Info (Decommissioning)
Authorities investigate compliance of storage of sludges generated by Metropolis conversion plant (Illinois)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Justice ("federal authorities") are investigating whether the storage of certain sludges generated during uranium hexafluoride production at our Metropolis, Illinois facility has been in compliance with the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The federal authorities have convened a grand jury in this matter.
(Honeywell International Inc., Quarterly Report 10-Q, April 23, 2010)
NRC issues Notice of Violation to Honeywell for not reporting 37 (!) contamination events at Metropolis conversion plant
On June 12, 2009, NRC issued a Notice of Violation to Honeywell for not reporting 37 unplanned contamination events identified between the period of October 17, 2008, and
March 29, 2009, at the Metropolis conversion plant. (ADAMS Acc. No. ML091630570)
NRC approves new small cylinder filling process at Metropolis conversion plant (Illinois)
On Jan. 13, 2009, NRC approved a new process of filling small uranium hexafluoride (UF6) cylinders, 12B and 30B, using the UF6 Continuous Sampling System.
Converdyn reportedly plans to nearly double capacity of its Metropolis conversion plant (Illinois)
"Ideally by 2020 we will be producing an optimum of 23,000 tonnes and a maximum would be 26,000 [tonnes]," ConverDyn CEO James Graham told Reuters this week. In 2007, the maximum output of the Metropolis facility was 15,000 tonnes UF6, according to Graham. (Tradetech Jan. 18, 2008)
Converdyn announces capacity increase at Metropolis conversion plant
On June 18, 2007, Converdyn announced that, after the installation of new equipment, the nameplate annual capacity of the Metropolis uranium conversion now is 17,600 MTU as UF6 (up from 14,000).
The next level of planned expansion is to 18,000 MTU as UF6 in the 2012 timeframe or when market conditions dictate the need.
Proposed License Renewal for Honeywell Metropolis conversion plant
A 10-year license renewal was issued on May 15, 2007.
On Aug. 4, 2006, NRC issued a Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Renewal of the Operating License for the
Honeywell Metropolis Works Uranium Conversion Facility in Metropolis, IL.
Federal Register: August 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 154) p. 45862-45864 (download full text )
On Feb. 10, 2006, NRC issued a draft environmental assessment for the proposed license renewal of the Honeywell Metropolis conversion plant.
> Download ML060400180 (NRC ADAMS)
Honeywell Metropolis conversion plant shut down after UF6 leak
Illinois EPA files lawsuit against Honeywell Metropolis conversion plant for UF6 leakages
On December 30, 2004, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) filed a lawsuit filed against the Metropolis Works Conversion Facility (MTW) . The
complaint charges Honeywell International with air pollution for the September and December 2003 incidents
that occurred at MTW. The complaint charges that “Honeywell subjected its workers and its neighbors not
once, but twice, to dangerous levels of hazardous materials” and that the state is “working to ensure that
corrective measures have been taken to minimize the possibility that these alleged employee mistakes will occur
again”. The suit seeks a civil penalty of $50,000 per violation and an additional $10,000 for each day the
violation continues.
(Converdyn Jan. 6, 2005)
NRC cites Honeywell Metropolis uranium conversion plant for violations
After a thorough review, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has determined that two violations of NRC requirements occurred as a result of the uranium hexafluoride release at the Honeywell plant in Metropolis, Illinois, in late December 2003.
NRC inspectors found that Honeywell employees reconfigured the fluorination system without detailed instructions which allowed the leak to occur. During the event, the company also failed to implement some parts of its emergency response plan and did not provide sufficient information to local emergency responders.
> View NRC release May 11, 2004
NRC approves restart of Honeywell Metropolis uranium conversion plant (Illinois)
> View NRC releases: Mar. 27, 2004 · Apr. 14, 2004 · Apr. 17, 2004
Converdyn uranium conversion plant to resume operation after 3-month outage due to leakage
The Metropolis conversion facility is scheduled to restart operations during the week of 22 March 2004, according to ConverDyn. In a phased restart, front-end uranium hexafluoride (UF6) operations will begin first, followed by the restart of the remaining stages of the process, to be completed during the week of 29 March. The first full cylinders of UF6 are expected to become available during the week of 5 April. (WNA News Briefing 04.11, March 16, 2004)
UF6 leak at Honeywell Metropolis conversion plant entails another plant shutdown
"At approximately 2:24 a.m. (CST) there was a uranium hexafluoride (UF6) leak from a valve in their chemical process. The release was confirmed to have been terminated at approximately 3:20 a.m. (CST). Uranium hexafluoride is a hazardous chemical with low level radioactivity associated with the uranium component of the chemical.
Honeywell declared a site area emergency at 3:00 a.m. (CST). Fence line monitors indicated the possibility of a material release offsite. Local authorities evacuated approximately 25 people near the plant and approximately 75 people remained sheltered in their homes. Three individuals were taken to the hospital.
Two of these individuals have been released. There were no injuries onsite. [...]" (NRC PNO-II-03-022, Dec. 22, 2003)
The NRC dispatched inspectors to the plant. In a Confirmatory Action Letter, NRC ordered Honeywell to shutdown the plant and perform an own investigation into the event. (NRC Release II-03-052 , Dec. 23, 2003)
In its Inspection Report dated March 16, 2004, NRC identified two apparent license violations: the failure to have a procedure for the evolution
of bringing two fluorinators online for dual operation, and the failures to properly maintain and implement aspects of the Radiological Contingency Plan.
> Download NRC Inspection Report (March 16, 2004) (PDF)
Converdyn uranium conversion plant shut down for incidents
Converdyn uranium conversion plant resumes operation
ConverDyn's Metropolis conversion facility resumed the production of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) on 18 November 2003, the company announced. Production will gradually increase and normal output rates are expected by mid-December. The facility has undergone significant repairs, retraining and a recertification programme due to recent incidents at the plant.
(WNA News Briefing 03.47, Nov. 25, 2003)
Converdyn uranium conversion plant shut down for incidents
ConverDyn's Metropolis conversion facility experienced two unrelated plant incidents on 20 September, 2003, that have led to the temporary shutdown of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) production at the site. The plant is expected to restart in early October. (WNA News Briefing 03.38, Sep. 24, 2003)
The incidents included: a hydrofluoric acid (HF) spill on Sep. 9, 2003, an antimony pentafloride (SbF5) release on Sep. 12, 2003, and an uranium hexafluoride (UF6) release from a cylinder pigtail on Sep. 30, 2003. Those incidents were subject to an NRC Inspection Report and Notice of Violation dated Dec. 17, 2003.
NRC accepts blending of CaF2 waste to meet release criteria
By letter dated Sep 14, 2001, the NRC accepted a proposal by Honeywell to blend its calcium fluoride settling pond waste with natural fluorspar (CaF2) to meet the uranium concentration criterion of 212 pCi/g (7.84 Bq/g; 313 ppm) for the unrestricted release of the material. The blended material is to be trucked to Hastie Trucking & Mining Company in Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, where it is to be manufactured into a fluorspar briquette for use as a fluxing agent in the steel industry. This arrangement evades the necessity to dump the waste material in a Texas landfill.
Missing shipment of uranium hexafluoride conversion waste
"MISSING SHIPMENT OF CaF SETTLING POND CLEANUP WASTE
A shipment of CaF settling pond waste left the site on July 25, 2001 and apparently did not arrive on July 27, 2001 at the Andrews County WCS in Texas. The shipment, one of several, consisted of 44,480 pounds [20.2 metric tonnes] of 80% CaF and 20% lime with less than 500 ppm natural uranium contained in it. The natural uranium is calculated at about 19 pounds [8.6 kg] total contained in the shipment. The driver reported that the shipment was delivered, but there is no paperwork to support the delivery. [...]
* * * UPDATE ON 8/23/01 @ 1425 BY ROBERTS TO GOULD * * *
Wills Trucking found the material intact on the ground on 8/22/01 north of Dallas, Tx. [...]."
(NRC Daily Event Report Aug. 24, 2001 )
NRC Docket No. 07007016
NRC License No.
> View GE Laser Enrichment Facility Licensing (NRC)
On July 30, 2009, Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) announced the start-up of a "test loop" to evaluate a next-generation uranium enrichment technology that GLE is developing.
The test loop is designed to validate the commercial feasibility of the technology and advance the design of the equipment, facility and processes for the planned commercial production facility.
GLE anticipates gleaning sufficient data from the test loop by the end of 2009 to decide whether to proceed with plans for a full-scale commercial enrichment facility.
On June 20, 2008, Cameco Corporation announced it is joining a uranium enrichment business venture in the United States.
Cameco has finalized an agreement with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) whereby a Cameco subsidiary will provide $123.8 million (US) to acquire a 24% interest in Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) based in Wilmington, North Carolina. The remainder of GLE is owned indirectly by General Electric Company (51%) and Hitachi Ltd. (25%).
On May 14, 2008, Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), a subsidiary of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved a license amendment (to an existing nuclear facility license) to operate a Test Loop for GLE's next generation, SILEX laser-enrichment technology.
Demonstration Facility to be sited at Global Nuclear Fuels in Wilmington, NC
Letter of Intent submitted on October 11, 2006
Current application submittal date for demonstation facility: mid-2007
> View background information
NRC Docket No. 07007016
NRC License No.
> View GE Laser Enrichment Facility Licensing (NRC)
NRC issues Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed GE-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment LLC facility in Wilmington, North Carolina for comment
Comments will be accepted until August 9, 2010.
> View NRC release June 24, 2010
Federal Register: June 25, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 122) p. 36447-36449
(download full text )
> Download Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed GE-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment LLC Facility in Wilmington, North Carolina (NUREG-1938, Draft for Comment)
> View Docket ID NRC-2009-0157 (regulations.gov)
Proliferation risks from laser enrichment technology exceed benefits, scientists say
The US Congress should take the lead on discouraging efforts to advance uranium-enrichment technology, argue Francis Slakey and Linda R. Cohen in an Opinion piece in this week's Nature. They believe that the newest laser enrichment technology - called separation of isotopes by laser excitation (SILEX) - offers more potential risks than benefits. It is not critical for expansion of the nuclear power industry today, or in a future where greenhouse-gas emissions are tightly capped and the nuclear industry favoured. Capital costs and regulatory policies will determine the size of that industry. "Rather, the development and potential risk of misappropriation of an enrichment facility too small and efficient to be detected could be a game changer for further nuclear proliferation," say the duo.
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an application to operate a full-scale commercial SILEX plant in North Carolina; this is open to public petition until 15 March. A final decision is expected to take at least another year. Slakey and Cohen urge Congress to require that proliferation risks be evaluated as part of the NRC licensing process, starting with the SILEX application. If the proliferation risks of such technologies beyond the licensee's control are deemed too high, requested users should not be licensed, they say. Such a barrier would discourage commercial research and development in this area.
Opinion: Stop laser uranium enrichment, by Francis Slakey and Linda R. Cohen, in: NATURE Vol.464 No.7285, 4 March 2010, pp 32-33
NRC releases Environmental Report Supplement 2 for GE Hitachi laser isotope separation enrichment plant project
Federal Register: March 2, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 40) p. 9451-9452 (download full text )
> Download Environmental Report Supplement 2, Nov. 2009 (ADAMS Acc. No. ML093240135)
> Download Environmental Report Supplement 1, July 2009 (ADAMS Acc. No. ML092100577)
NRC issues Notice of Hearing on GLE's license application for commercial laser technology uranium enrichment plant in Wilmington (North Carolina)
Deadline for Requests for Hearing, Petitions to Intervene and Contentions, and Requests for Limited Participation is March 15, 2010.
> View NRC release Jan. 14, 2010
Federal Register: January 13, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 8) p. 1819-1830 (download full text )
> View NRC Commission Order CLI-10-04, Jan. 8, 2010
GLE submits license application for commercial laser technology uranium enrichment plant in Wilmington (North Carolina)
GE Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) – a business venture of GE, Hitachi Ltd. and Cameco – on 30 June 2009, submitted its license application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). GLE would build the commercial uranium-enrichment facility, the first to use laser technology, near Wilmington, N.C. (Silex July 1, 2009)
> Download GLE license application (ADAMS Acc. No. ML092110280)
> Download Submittal of Remaining Portion of Application for the Construction and Operation of the GLE Commercial Facility (ADAMS Acc. No. ML091871003)
NRC issues Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed GE-Hitachi uranium enrichment facility in Wilmington
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating this proposed action. The EIS will examine the potential environmental impacts of the proposed GLE facility.
NRC invites public comments on the appropriate scope of issues to be considered in the EIS. Written comments submitted by mail should be postmarked by no later than August 31, 2009 (comment period extended), to ensure consideration.
Federal Register: April 9, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 67) p. 16237-16238 (download full text )
Federal Register: July 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 141) p. 36781-36782 (download full text )
NRC releases Environmental Report for GE Hitachi laser isotope separation enrichment plant project
> Download Environmental Report for the GLE Commercial Facility, December 2008 (ADAMS Acc. No. ML090910573)
GE-Hitachi submits first part of application for laser isotope separation enrichment commercial facility project in Wilmington
On Feb. 4, 2009, GE-Hitachi announced that the environmental portion of a combined construction and operating license (COL) application had been submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
(World Nuclear News Feb. 4, 2009)
GE Hitachi selects Wilmington, North Carolina, as site for potential commercial uranium enrichment facility
Global Laser Enrichment (GLE), a subsidiary of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), has announced it has selected GEH's Wilmington headquarters site for a potential commercial uranium enrichment facility. The planned GEH plant would result in the creation of hundreds of new technical, operational and support jobs at the site between now and 2012.
Before moving ahead with full-scale production plans, GLE will first evaluate the results of a demonstration test loop, which is currently under construction, and obtain an NRC license to build and operate the commercial plant. Commercial licensing activities are currently underway to support a projected start-up date of 2012.
The commercial GLE facility would have a target capacity of between 3.5 and six million separative work units (SWUs). GEH intends to make a final decision on the construction of the facility as early as the beginning of 2009.
(Centre Times Daily Apr. 30, 2008)
Current application submittal date for full-scale facility: 2008
> View background information
Areva uranium enrichment plant project (USA)
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LES enrichment plant projects
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