In an apparent effort to keep the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in operation, the Department of Energy has quietly begun discussions in recent weeks with two federal utilities on a program to re-enrich a portion of DOE’s inventory of depleted uranium tails. Details on a potential agreement that would involve the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bonneville Power Administration and USEC are still being developed, but the discussions have centered on the re-enrichment of approximately 5 million – 5.5 million SWU, WC Monitor has learned. The services would take place at the Paducah plant, which is operated by USEC. USEC has said that such a re-enrichment program is necessary to keep the Paducah plant in operation past this spring.
DOE declined to comment on the discussions with utilities, and stressed that it has not decided whether to proceed with a tails program. “As Secretary Chu had made clear repeatedly, including during the hearing and in letters sent to the Kentucky delegation, the Department is looking at various options regarding the future of the Paducah facility. No decisions have been made yet on whether or under what conditions DOE would proceed with re-enriching uranium tails at Paducah,” DOE spokeswoman Jen Stutsman said in a written response late last week.