American Centrifuge

USEC and B&W, the Oak Ridge-based partners in manufacturing centrifuges for processing nuclear fuel, still await a federal loan guarantee, but have formed a new company. The KNS reports.

DOE cloud over USEC

KNS Columnist Frank Munger writes, "As was the case throughout 2010, the future still hangs on DOE acting on USEC's application for a $2 billion loan guarantee -- which would help USEC complete construction of the American Centrifuge Plant and move forward with new uranium-enrichment capabilities." Read more here.

USEC centrifuge work advances

At Oak Ridge, a reported 100 jobs will be saved, thanks to DOE's announcement it will provide $45MM for further USEC Inc. centrifuge testing. The KNS' Frank Munger has it.

Oak Ridge centrifuge layoffs

With a federal loan guarantee nowhere in sight, layoffs now total about 163 workers at Oak Ridge's American Centrifuge Project. The KNS reports.

Wamp joins USEC rally

Tennessee gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Chattanooga) joined USEC workers rallying in Washington, as part of an effort to get the Department of Energy to reconsider its decision to deny USEC's request for a loan guarantee to support development and production of centrifuges for nuclear-enrichment. The loan decision affects hundreds of jobs in Wamp's district. The KNS reports today. Our earlier post on this dispute. Other VNC Wamp news.

USEC's nuclear 'shock'

Bethesda-based USEC Inc., which has strong ties to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, announced a blow this morning, in the form of DOE denying its application for a $2 billion loan guarantee to support an Ohio centrifuge project that would help generate enriched uranium for nuclear power plants. The company's release is here. USEC earlier laid-out its case for the guarantee, here. The Chillicothe Gazette provides background.