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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. EST March 28 in Paducah, Kentucky, to discuss its recent authorization of a license amendment for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Approval of the amendment permits the plant's operator, the United States Enrichment Corporation, to increase the enrichment level of uranium produced at the Kentucky facility.
The meeting will be held in Rosenthal Hall 111 (Engineering Building) at the Paducah Community College, 4810 Alben Barkley Drive. During the meeting, NRC headquarters and regional staff members will discuss the license review process and the findings from a recent Operational Readiness Review inspection that was conducted at the plant.
The NRC on March 19 approved the amendment that will permit the Paducah plant to increase its uranium enrichment capability from 2.75% to 5.5%. The plant uses the gaseous diffusion method to increase the concentration of uranium-235 from the percentage found in nature to the percentage needed to fuel nuclear power plants. The only other plant that produces such a level of uranium is located in Portsmouth, Ohio, and is scheduled to close this summer.
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