BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 25, 2005--USEC Inc. (NYSE:USU) announced today that it has met another American Centrifuge program milestone by beginning to test a full-size centrifuge machine. Today's announcement marks the completion of eight milestones for demonstrating and deploying the American Centrifuge technology.
"We have a great team of scientists, engineers and technicians on this project," said Ron Green, USEC senior vice president. "Their talent and dedication will be even more valuable as the program enters this critical and challenging phase of machine testing."
Most of the machine's components were manufactured in USEC facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The centrifuge is currently being tested in the K-1600 facility, which was used until 1985 to develop and evaluate the original U.S. Department of Energy machines on which the American Centrifuge is based. It contains special test stands with diagnostic instrumentation for assessing the performance of an individual centrifuge.
USEC expects to begin operating the American Centrifuge Demonstration Facility in Piketon, Ohio later this year. The facility will yield cost, schedule and performance data before USEC begins construction of the full-scale American Centrifuge Plant, which is scheduled to be operable by the end of the decade. The plant is expected to provide a reliable, competitive fuel source for the world's nuclear power plants, while supporting U.S. energy security and national security interests.
This news release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involves risks and uncertainty, including certain assumptions regarding the future performance of USEC. Actual results and trends may differ materially depending upon a variety of factors, which are described in USEC's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These SEC filings are available on USEC's website, www.usec.com.
USEC Inc., a global energy company, is the world's leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.
CONTACT:
USEC Inc.
Elizabeth Stuckle, 301-564-3399
or
Charles Yulish, 301-564-3391
SOURCE: USEC Inc.