Centrus and GLE have welcomed the USD700 million support package to develop high-assay low-enriched uranium included in the US Inflation Reduction Act to develop the infrastructure needed to fuel next generation of nuclear reactors.

Global Laser Enrichment has executed of a non-binding Letter of Intent with Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress to develop areas of mutual interest and cooperation in the nuclear fuel supply chain. It recently executed a similar LOI with Constellation Energy Generation.

Urenco CEO Boris Schucht explains the impact of current world events on the fuel sector and outlines the challenges that need to be overcome to unlock the climate and energy security benefits of new nuclear technologies. Plus John Lindberg on Sweden’s nuclear power sector and the possible impact of the forthcoming elections, and a round-up of the main nuclear news in June.

Society - and the nuclear industry - are today facing a new reality: the reality of asking ourselves about energy security and energy independence. So said John-Paul Jones, head of commercial and market intelligence at Urenco, at World Nuclear Fuel Cycle 2022.

Ensuring a steady demand for high-assay low-enriched uranium is one of the two main challenges to achieving sustainable production of the material, Orano has said in response to a US Department of Energy request for information.

The first equipment has arrived at a deconversion plant being built by Russia's Rosatom and France's Orano in eastern Siberia. The plant is part of a long-term project to manage and make use of depleted uranium stocks in Russia.

The US Department of Energy is asking the public for its input on plans to create a new programme to assure the availability of high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel - needed for the demonstration and commercial deployment of advanced reactors - in the USA. Meanwhile, Centrus is working with Clean Core Thorium Energy on advanced fuel using HALEU and thorium.

The former Centrifuge Complex site at Oak Ridge in Tennessee is now ready for industrial development. The complex was one of the final collections of buildings to be demolished last year as workers completed the first-ever cleanup of a former uranium enrichment complex. The footprint of the former facility is earmarked for the construction of a proposed regional airport at the East Tennessee Technology Park.

Jacques Peythieu, Chief Executive Officer of Orano Conversion & Enrichment, discusses the company's recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and industrial action, 2020 results, production ramp up at its Philippe Coste plant in France, and possible transformation of the conversion market due to the recently announced restart of Honeywell's conversion plant at Metropolis in the USA. He also assesses the prospects of enrichment market and the expected requirements for HALEU, as well as potential hurdles to supply capabilities or transportation of this material. A multinational nuclear fuel cycle company headquartered in Hauts-de-Seine, France, Orano has an order book worth EUR26 billion (USD31 billion).

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has informed the agency's Board of Governors that Iran intends to use indigenously-produced uranium enriched up to 20% U-235 in the manufacture of fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, an IAEA spokesperson told World Nuclear News today. In doing so, as part of a multi-stage process, Iran will also produce uranium metal enriched up to 20% U-235.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a licence amendment that will allow Centrus Energy Corp to produce high-assay, low-enriched uranium at its Piketon enrichment facility. Centrus expects to begin demonstrating HALEU production at the facility in Ohio early next year.

US nuclear fuel and services provider Centrus Energy Corporation today announced it has secured new nuclear fuel sales contracts and commitments valued at about USD225 million over the past 12 months. This, the company said, was the strongest period for new sales since 2015.