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House guarantees $8 billion in loans for uranium enrichment

Journal Article · · Eng. News-Rec.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7153430
Construction of five uranium enrichment facilities passed a major hurdle when the House approved, by one vote, an $8-billion industry loan guarantee program backed by the Ford administration. Four firms have applied for access to secret government technology to enrich uranium fuel for nuclear powerplants on a commercial basis, but the companies demanded loan guarantees before trying either of the two existing methods. Essentially, the Nuclear Fuel Assurance Act guarantees loans for the construction of either of two types of uranium enrichment plants. The method used in the government's enrichment plants, gaseous diffusion, has been used for about 30 years. The second technology, using a high-speed centrifuge to increase the concentration of reactive particles, has not been proven for commercial use. Under the bill, the Federal government would provide the necessary components and technology to build either type of plant. ERDA estimates 2.2 million tons of enriched uranium will be needed by 2000 to supply the 600 domestic nuclear power plants expected to be operating then. Based on these figures, six to seven enrichment plants, costing up to $3.5 billion each, will have to be built. (MCW)
OSTI ID:
7153430
Journal Information:
Eng. News-Rec.; (United States), Journal Name: Eng. News-Rec.; (United States) Vol. 197:7; ISSN ENREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English