Uranium Enrichment Policies and Operations

Status and Future Needs Gao ID: EMD-77-64 November 18, 1977

The three U.S. Government-owned uranium enrichment plants which prepare uranium for use as a nuclear reactor fuel provide enrichment services to all U.S. nuclear reactors, all Government research and weapons programs, and most foreign reactors.

When additional enrichment plants beyond those currently planned will be needed depends largely on nuclear power growth, the U.S. share of the foreign enrichment service market, and the use of existing plants and enriched uranium supplies. If there is a uranium shortage and the United States obtains 35% of the foreign market, future enrichment plants will be needed by the 1990's. The only option for meeting long-term demand is to build additional plants.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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