ML20134N693

Press Release 96-170, NRC Issues Certificates to Usec for U Enrichment Plants

ML20134N693
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, 07007001
Issue date:	11/26/1996
From:	NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA)
To:
References
PR-96-170, NUDOCS 9611270080
Download: ML20134N693 (1)

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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs Washington, DC 20555 Phone 301-415-8200 Fax 301-415-2234 Internet:opa@nrc. gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No.96-170 (Tuesday, November 26, 1996)

NRC ISSUES CERTIFICATES TO USEC FOR URANIUM ENRICHMENT PLANTS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards today issued certificates to the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC) for operation of uranium enrichment plants located near Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio.

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 requires the NRC to certify the facilities periodically for compliance with its safety, safeguards and security requirements. This is the first certification.

USEC operates the two plants under a lease from the The Department of Energy, which owns and formerly operated them.

plants use a gaseous diffusion process to enrich uranium hexafluoride gas in the uranium-235 isotope, so that the material can be used to produce nuclear fuel for civilian nuclear power plants.

After a transition period following issuance of the certificates, regulatory authority over plant operations will be transferred from the Department of Energy to the NRC on March 3, 1997.

9611270080 961126 PROI PDR PRESS R HO-96-170 PDR olI L -. . _ _ . _ _ _ _