The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a licence for the downblending of 33t of weapons-grade uranium into civilian reactor fuel. Nuclear Fuel Services’ plant in Erwin, Tennessee is undertaking the Blended Low-Enriched Uranium programme together with Framatome ANP in Washington, who assemble the fuel rods. Some of the fuel has already been shipped to Tennessee Valley Authority’s Brown’s Ferry plant. A further 174t of similar weapons-grade uranium has been classified as surplus and will eventually be downblended.
