B&W TO LOOK AT PROVIDING DOMESTIC ENRICHMENT CAPABILITY

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 national security needs such as tritium production. But Congress has made additional funding for USEC contingent on an assessment of other options for a domestic enrichment capacity. One potential alternative to USEC that is being considered would involve B&W building American Centrifuge machines to develop an enrichment plant solely for national security needs.

 

B&W Technical Services in partnership with USEC currently runs the program’s centrifuge manufacturing facility in Oak Ridge. B&W has also been a key investor in USEC’s American Centrifuge plant. Under the Department’s current agreement with USEC, if the company is unable to commercialize the plant, the government has the option to take over the rights to the technology. Late last year USEC said that it plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy given that the near-term the commercial outlook is grim for American Centrifuge, and proposed that the government could fund a USEC-led effort to build a “national security train” enrichment plant. B&W declined to comment on the issue.