Exelon Signs Contract to Purchase SWU from USEC's American Centrifuge Plant
- Contract worth $1.2 billion -
BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 10, 2009--
USEC Inc. (NYSE: USU) today announced that Exelon Generation Company LLC
has signed a contract to purchase SWU (separative work units) from
USEC’s American Centrifuge Plant to fuel its reactors. Exelon operates
the largest fleet of commercial nuclear reactors in the United States
and the third largest in the world. The contract starts in 2012 and is
valued at nearly $1.2 billion.
USEC has customer commitments valued at over $3.4 billion for the
American Centrifuge Plant’s output.
“Our customers believe in the American Centrifuge technology and support
our efforts to complete the plant,” said John K. Welch, USEC’s president
and chief executive officer. “We appreciate Exelon’s support and look
forward to continuing to provide them with the same quality, reliable
service they have come to expect from USEC.”
“The American Centrifuge Plant is important to Exelon as a source for
increasing fuel supply diversity, but it is also important for the
country as an important component of energy and national security,” said
Chris Crane, president and chief operating officer of Exelon
Corporation. “We strongly support the deployment of the American
Centrifuge technology and look forward to continuing our long
relationship with USEC.”
USEC has been building the American Centrifuge Plant to provide the
dependable, long-term nuclear fuel production capability needed to
support the world’s nuclear power plants. The American Centrifuge
technology is based on U.S. gas centrifuge technology originally
developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) but with significant
design, material and manufacturing improvements incorporated by USEC. As
America’s only commercial uranium enrichment facility using U.S.
centrifuge technology, the American Centrifuge Plant has an important
role in America’s energy security and national security.
USEC has applied for a loan guarantee from DOE and in August 2009 DOE
and USEC agreed to delay final review of USEC’s application for six
months or more. As a result of delays and uncertainty in funding, USEC
began demobilization of certain project activities in August 2009 while
it works to resolve DOE’s technical and financial concerns.
USEC Inc., a global energy company, is a leading supplier of enriched
uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.
Forward-looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that
involve risks and uncertainty. For USEC, particular risks and
uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ
materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to: risks related to the deployment of the
American Centrifuge technology, including risks related to performance,
cost, schedule and financing; our success in obtaining a loan guarantee
for the American Centrifuge Plant; the impact of the demobilization of
the American Centrifuge project and the uncertainty regarding our
ability to remobilize the project; changes to, or termination of, our
contracts with the U.S. government and changes in U.S. government
priorities and the availability of government funding, including loan
guarantees; the competitive environment for our products and services,
including our ability to secure commitments for the remaining output of
the American Centrifuge Plant, and to execute transaction documentation
for commitments not yet under contract; and other risks and
uncertainties discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on our website www.usec.com.
We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements except as
required by law.
Source: USEC Inc.
USEC Inc.
Media:
Jeff Donald, 301-564-3418
or
Investors:
Steven
Wingfield, 301-564-3354