AREVA Seeks Federal Approval for $2 Billion Uranium Enrichment Plant

AREVA Inc., a French-owned nuclear services company, has applied to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a $2 billion uranium enrichment plant near Idaho Falls.

The federal regulator has said approval could take more than two years.

AREVA officials said construction could begin in 2011, with work expected to last seven years.
The company, which in 2008 won tax breaks from the Idaho Legislature before deciding on building in the state, has said the project will be a smaller version of its Georges Besse II centrifuge enrichment facility now under construction in France.

The facility would be capable of producing enough enriched uranium to supply nearly a quarter of existing U.S. commercial nuclear power needs.

AREVA says the project will create 800 construction jobs and 300 full-time workers, once it's running.

Source: Associated Press

More About AREVA

With manufacturing facilities in 41 countries and a sales network in more than 100 countries, AREVA offers customers reliable technological solutions for CO2-free power generation and electricity transmission and distribution. AREVA is the world leader in nuclear power and the only company to cover all industrial activities in this field. The company's 65,000 employees are committed to continuous improvement on a daily basis, making sustainable development the focal point of the group’s industrial strategy. AREVA’s businesses help meet the 21st century’s greatest challenges: making energy available to all, protecting the planet, and acting responsibly towards future generations. http://www.areva.com/

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