What projects are planned for gas centrifuge enrichment in the U.S.?
Three companies are planning on constructing and operating gas centrifuge enrichment facilities: USEC Inc. (USEC), Louisiana Energy Services (LES) and AREVA Enrichment Services (AES). USEC’s program consists of three phases: a demonstration program, a Lead Cascade phase, and a commercial deployment phase. The demonstration phase is intended to obtain detailed test data for the gas centrifuge machines. The Lead Cascade phase is intended to provide reliability information on the machines as they would be used in commercial operations. USEC submitted an application for operation of the Lead Cascade facility in February 2003 and NRC issued a license to operate the Lead Cascade in February 2004. The Lead Cascade facility will be located in Piketon, Ohio. USEC submitted an application to operate the commercial facility, the American Centrifuge Plant (ACP), in August 2004. The NRC issued a license for the ACP in April 2007. The facility is currently under construction. LES submitted a license
