Press Release-II-12-027, NRC Schedules Public Meeting to Discuss Proposed Global Laser Enrichment Facility

Press Release-II-12-027: NRC Schedules Public Meeting to Discuss Proposed Global Laser Enrichment Facility

ML12122A200
Person / Time
Issue date:	05/01/2012
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-12-027
Download: ML12122A200 (1)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region II 245 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30303-1257 Web Site: www.nrc.gov No. II-12-027 May 1, 2012 CONTACT: Roger Hannah (404) 997-4417 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Joey Ledford (404) 997-4416 NRC SCHEDULES PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS PROPOSED GLOBAL LASER ENRICHMENT FACILITY The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled a meeting to discuss the recently issued Safety Evaluation Report and Environmental Impact Statement for a laser-based uranium enrichment facility proposed to be built in Wilmington, N.C.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 10 in Ballroom A of the Burney Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina - Wilmington. The NRC staff will be available beginning at 6 p.m. to informally discuss the documents and findings with the public.

The SER and the EIS effectively complete the staffs review of the license application filed by General Electric Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment LLC to construct and operate the facility at the site of the General Electric-Hitachi Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas fuel fabrication plant. The NRCs Atomic and Safety Licensing Board must complete its hearing on the staffs review before a license could be issued. That hearing is expected to take place this summer.

The SER contains the staffs conclusion that GLEs descriptions, specifications and analyses provide an adequate basis for safety and safeguards of facility operations and that operation of the facility would not pose an undue risk to workers or public health and safety.

The final EIS on the facility contains the staffs conclusion that the project would have small to moderate impacts on the local environment, primarily during preconstruction activities.

The Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-2120) and final EIS (NUREG-1938) are available through the NRCs ADAMS online document database (ML12060A007) and (ML12047A040 and ML12047A042). Both documents are available on the NRCs website.

GEH submitted its application in June 2009. GEH proposes to use laser-based technology to enrich uranium in the U-235 isotope to concentrations up to 8 percent by weight. The enriched uranium would be used in manufacturing fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

More information is available at www.nrc.gov/materials/fuel-cycle-fac/laser.html .

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