URENCO USA Now Operational, Receives Nuclear Regulatory Commission Feed Stock Authorization

EUNICE, N.M., June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The URENCO USA uranium enrichment facility, located in Eunice, New Mexico, today received authorization from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) that it may begin accepting operational delivery of uranium hexafluoride feed stock. The authorization allows URENCO USA (formerly the National Enrichment Facility) to begin commercial operations enriching uranium for use as nuclear fuel.

Over the next few weeks, URENCO USA will begin the methodical process of safely transitioning the plant to fully operational status. When done, the company will provide both U.S. and international customers with a U.S.-based supply of nuclear fuel.

Gregory OD Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer for LES and its URENCO USA facility, commented on the NRC approval. "This marks a major milestone for URENCO USA as we officially move from construction status to an operational one. It's the culmination of more than twenty years of commitment by URENCO to this project and a decade of dedicated work by all who made this a reality. It's a proud moment for the State of New Mexico and the community who welcomed us here. It's also a turning point for the U.S. nuclear industry. URENCO USA will provide safe, cost effective and reliable U.S. -based uranium enrichment services to the commercial nuclear industry."  

The URENCO USA facility is the first to use URENCO's world-leading centrifuge technology in the U.S. At full capacity, the facility will produce sufficient enriched uranium for nuclear fuel to supply approximately ten percent of the electricity needs for the U.S.  

Notes to editors:

LES / URENCO USA

LES, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of URENCO Ltd. The URENCO USA, New Mexico plant is the nation's most advanced uranium enrichment facility and will provide a secure domestic enrichment fuel supply source to U.S. nuclear energy companies for many years to come.

The URENCO Group

URENCO is an independent international energy and technology group with its head office based in Marlow in the United Kingdom. Urenco operates facilities in Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and New Mexico in the United States. It operates in a pivotal area of the nuclear fuel supply chain, which enables the sustainable generation of electricity for consumers around the world.

Utilizing its own world-leading centrifuge technology, URENCO provides safe, cost-effective and reliable uranium enrichment services for civil power generation within a framework of high environmental, social and corporate responsibility standards. Currently URENCO fulfils around 25% of the global enrichment market, and aims to establish itself as the leading global supplier of enrichment and enrichment technology.

SOURCE URENCO USA