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From weapons to fuel
Y-12 employees celebrate completion of the 6-year USEC HEU Transfer Program.
Y‑12 manages programs that remove surplus highly enriched uranium from the stored, secured inventory on site. These programs are in line with the U.S. commitment to reduce potential nuclear proliferation by reducing the amount of stored weapons-usable material that is in excess of national security needs.
The United States Enrichment Corporation's (USEC's) Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Transfer Program ships surplus HEU from Y‑12 to BWX Technologies' Nuclear Products Division in Lynchburg, Va., where it is blended with natural uranium. The resulting low-enriched uranium (LEU) is then fabricated into reactor fuel, which USEC then markets to customers around the world.
Converting HEU to fuel makes HEU proliferation-proof; reduces costs associated with storing, inventorying and safeguarding the material; and frees additional storage space in processing areas. Marketing the resulting fuel product recovers the economic value inherent in the material.
Title to HEU was transferred to USEC as part of the effort to privatize domestic uranium enrichment. From program inception in 1998 to completion in September 2005, more than 45 metric tons (or about 100,000 pounds) of HEU were shipped, producing more than 600 metric tons of reactor fuel. The potential energy in this amount of fuel is sufficient to meet nearly one-quarter of the annual U.S. residential demand for electricity.
The USEC HEU Transfer Program, managed by the HEU Disposition Program Office at Y‑12, was the first and largest disposition program for surplus HEU initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy. Preparation and execution of this program developed a solid foundation that has benefited all subsequent HEU disposition activities.
Y‑12 employees contributed to the very successful 6‑year program by shipping more than 2500 drums of HEU metal and oxide. In October employees attended a reception to celebrate this significant nonproliferation achievement.
Blending of the materials to LEU is ongoing and will continue into mid‑2006.