Spotlight
Fuel Cycle Facility Licensing and Construction
The staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is tracking the license applications that were submitted and approved. Although several fuel cycle facilities possess approved licenses, the corporations are not currently pursuing construction due to business reasons. Louisiana Energy Services, which originally submitted its license on December 12, 2003, has now a fully-operational enrichment plant near Eunice, New Mexico. See the following pages for more information.
- Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Facility Licensing
- Laser Enrichment Facility Licensing
- Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility Licensing
- Uranium Deconversion Facility Licensing
Current Status of Fuel Cycle Licensing Activities
| Organization | Location | Type of Facility | Name of Facility | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centrus Energy Corp. | Piketon, Ohio | Centrifuge enrichment | American Centrifuge Plant | Application submitted to the NRC in August 2004. NRC license issued in April 2007. The facility will largely be housed in buildings constructed by DOE in the 1980s for its gas centrifuge project. No significant post-licensing construction of the American Centrifuge Plant has taken place. The Lead Cascade, a test loop for the facility, met its objectives and is now being decommissioned. |
| AREVA Enrichment Services | Bonneville County, Idaho | Centrifuge enrichment | Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility | Application submitted to the NRC in December 2008. License issued in October 2011. Construction of the facility is not currently proceeding. |
| Global Laser Enrichment, LLC | Wilmington, North Carolina | Laser enrichment | GLE Uranium Enrichment Facility | NRC issued a license amendment in May 2008 for a test loop. A full scale facility was licensed in September 2012. Construction of the facility is not currently proceeding. |
| CB&I AREVA MOX Services | Aiken, South Carolina | Mixed-oxide fuel fabrication | Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility | Application for construction authorization submitted in April 2001. Construction authorization issued by the NRC in March 2005 and construction of the facility is underway. Application for operating license submitted in November 2006. The Safety Evaluation Report was issued in December 2010 and the ACRS review is complete. Currently awaiting completion of the principle structures, systems and components per 70.23 (a)(8). |
| International Isotopes Fluorine Products, Inc. (IIFP) | Lea County, New Mexico | Fluorine extraction and depleted uranium deconversion | Fluorine Extraction Process and Depleted Uranium Deconversion (FEP/DUP) Plant | NRC issued IIFP a 40 year license on 10/02/2012. The date for commencement of construction is yet to be determined. Construction of the facility is not currently proceeding. |
See Fuel Cycle Facilities Licensing for an overview of the licensing process for fuel cycle facilities.
