Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle

USEC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy yesterday after reaching an agreement with investors and  the majority of bondholders on its financial restructuring plan. This comes after the company announced in December it planned to file for Chapter 11 due to a market downturn, which made it difficult to address $530 million in convertible notes due […]

As the Department of Energy does a cost-benefit analysis of options for domestic uranium enrichment technologies for national security needs, DOE and B&W have had discussions regarding a potential B&W-led project using American Centrifuge technology. DOE has been supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge technology through a RD&D program, stating a domestic enrichment capacity is needed for […]

In a another step in a proposal to construct an enrichment plant at the Paducah site, Global Laser Enrichment intends to submit a license application by September to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the company told the NRC last week. “GLE expects to submit the license application for the [Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility] by September 2014 […]

In changes in its security approach at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, USEC this week is laying off security guards and de-manning a security checkpoint. The changes are taking place as USEC winds down its role at Paducah following the end of enrichment operations beginning last summer. “Starting this week, security at the site will […]

The Department of Energy is considering “all options” in its review of the national security requirements for a domestic enrichment capacity, DOE Deputy Secretary Dan Poneman said Friday at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit. DOE is undertaking a assessment of its options during a three-month extension of a cost-share program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge Plant ending […]

LATA Environmental Services of Kentucky, LLC, the cleanup contractor for the Paducah site, earned approximately 90 percent of its available fee for Fiscal Year 2013, according to information Weapons Complex Monitor obtained yesterday. In total, LATA Kentucky earned approximately $3.02 million out of an available $3.37 million. The contractor’s fee included $1.80 million for completing […]

Ohio Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz Friday requesting a meeting to discuss USEC’s American Centrifuge Project. The future of the southern Ohio project remains uncertain, as USEC has said that it can’t fund it without government support. The omnibus appropriations bill Congress passed last month […]

DUF6 Project contractor B&W Conversion Services, LLC, earned 87 percent of its available award and incentive fee in Fiscal Year 2013, according to information released yesterday by the Department of Energy. The contractor earned $1.88 million out of $2.16 million in available award fee. “The contractor met the majority of performance goals and objectives for […]

The Department of Energy plans to make a decision within the next 60 days on whether it will combine the infrastructure support services contracts at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites, DOE spokesman Bill Taylor said yesterday. The work is currently being performed under two separate contracts: At Portsmouth Wastren-EnergX Mission Support, LLC, has a contract […]

International Isotopes remains hopeful that it will eventually secure enough contracts to move forward with its proposed uranium de-conversation facility in Hobbs, N.M., according to President and CEO Steve Laflin during an investor’s call yesterday. The company announced in its third quarter results last year that active design and construction for the facility needed to […]

Fluor-B&W Portsmouth, LLC, the D&D contractor for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, earned approximately 75 percent of the fee available for Fiscal Year 2013—$12 million out of an available $16 million, according to information Weapons Complex Monitor obtained this week. FBP’s latest fee determination, outlined in a Jan. 31 letter from Bill Murphie, head of the […]

USEC and the Department of Energy yesterday launched a nearly three-month extension of a cost-share program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge technology in which additional tests will be performed. The extension, running from Jan. 29 until April 15, will use about $5.9 million of USEC funds and $23.05 million in DOE funds. The money was part […]

USEC and the Department of Energy yesterday launched a nearly three-month extension of a cost-share program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge technology in which additional tests will be performed. The extension, running from Jan. 29 until April 15, will use about $5.9 million of USEC funds and $23.05 million in DOE funds. The money was part […]

Kenneth R. Fletcher RW Monitor 1/17/2014 While the spending bill released by Congress this week includes $62 million for a program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge project, it also makes another $56.65 million in funding contingent on a Department of Energy cost-benefit analysis of potential domestic enrichment technologies for national security needs. The Department is supporting […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 1/10/2014 USEC’s American Centrifuge Project late last month successfully passed a “station blackout” test, a significant step given that a cutoff to power supply in 2011 raised questions about the technology. The Dec. 18 test occurred under a Department of Energy research, development and deployment program supporting the technology, and involved […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 5/2/2014 As a contract that cedes management of the American Centrifuge Project from USEC to Oak Ridge National Laboratory began this week, Senate appropriators are questioning how the program will be funded. This week DOE and USEC’s bankruptcy court approved a $118 million subcontract between ORNL contractor UT-Battelle and USEC to […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 4/18/2014 While a Department of Energy program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge technology had been set to expire this week, some savings have allowed USEC and DOE to undertake a “no-cost” extension of the program until the end of the month. The extension will allow details to be worked out for current […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 04/11/14 The URENCO USA uranium enrichment plant in New Mexico wrapped up Phase II activities this week when it introduced uranium hexafluoride gas into the plant’s last cascade. With the second phase completed, the facility’s enrichment capacity now stands at 3.7 million separative work units. “This represents a significant accomplishment for […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 4/11/2014 While a Department of Energy program supporting the American Centrifuge Project is set to come to an end next week, DOE is deciding how to reprogram National Nuclear Security Administration funds to keep the project alive. Last week, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said the Oak Ridge National Laboratory will […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 4/4/2014 The Department of Energy has begun identifying alternative sources of fuel for TRIGA reactors. TRIGA reactors operate mainly at U.S. universities as research reactors, but due to uncertainties arising from a planned safety, security and equipment upgrade of the TRIGA fuel fabrication line by TRIGA International, doubts linger on […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 4/4/2014 While the Department of Energy said this week that Oak Ridge will take over management of the American Centrifuge Project  from USEC, a near-term question that remains to be answered is how the project will be funded going forward. Current plans appear to be for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 3/21/2014 With funding for a program supporting the American Centrifuge project set to run out in the coming weeks, USEC sent out layoff notices to 400 employees late last week, according to spokesman Paul Jacobson. The WARN Act notices for potential layoffs within 60 days went out to 400 USEC employees […]

URENCO USA Says Significant Inventory On Hand Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 3/21/2014 While the Nuclear Energy Institute is warning lawmakers of the potential impacts of sanctions under consideration on Russian low enriched uranium, URENCO USA says there is significant inventory on hand. The White House is considering including LEU among sanctions against Russia, and this […]

DOE, B&W to Look at American Centrifuge Alternatives Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 3/7/2014 USEC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week after reaching an agreement with the majority of bondholders and investors on its financial restructuring plan. The moves comes after the company announced in December it planned to file for bankruptcy due to a […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 2/21/2014 The Department of Energy is considering “all options” in its review of the national security requirements for a domestic enrichment capacity, Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Poneman said last week at the Sixth Annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit. A cost-share program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge project is currently set to end in […]

Request Under Consideration by Commerce Dept. Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 2/21/2014 The Department of Commerce is considering a request from USEC for an exemption to restrictions on storing Russian low enriched uranium in the United States, a proposal being fought by competitors AREVA and LES. As described in a set of documents obtained by RW […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 2/7/2014 A group of 12 lawmakers this week expressed concern about the impact on the uranium mining industry of the Department of Energy’s Excess Uranium Inventory Management Plan. “We are very concerned about the impact of DOE’s recent and planned uranium sales and transfers on the domestic industry. While we recognize […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 2/7/2014 Although International Isotopes has had to place its proposed uranium de-conversion largely on hold, the company remains hopeful that it will eventually secure enough contracts to move forward with the project, INIS President Steve Laflin said during a call with investors this week. The company announced in its third […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 1/31/2014 USEC and the Department of Energy this week launched a nearly three-month extension of a cost-share program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge technology during which additional tests will be performed. The extension, running from Jan. 29 until April 15, will use about $5.9 million of USEC funds and $23.05 million in […]

Kenneth R. Fletcher RW Monitor 1/17/2014 While the spending bill released by Congress this week includes $62 million for a program supporting USEC’s American Centrifuge project, it also makes another $56.65 million in funding contingent on a Department of Energy cost-benefit analysis of potential domestic enrichment technologies for national security needs. The Department is supporting […]