Major Tool & Machine won the contract, which runs through 2012, in a competitive bid process. In 2004, USEC hired Major Tool & Machine to manufacture centrifuge casings for the Lead Cascade in the American Centrifuge Demonstration Facility in Piketon.
"Major Tool & Machine has over 60 years of experience in the custom contract manufacturing industry and having worked with them since 2004, we're confident that they will meet our quality, cost and schedule objectives in manufacturing centrifuge casings for the American Centrifuge Plant," said Philip G. Sewell, USEC senior vice president, American Centrifuge and Russian HEU.
"We are excited about the opportunity to be a part of such a significant program. Our employees look forward to using their years of experience serving the aerospace, defense and power generation industries and the national laboratories in performing as a strategic supplier for USEC in building the American Centrifuge program," said J. Stephen Weyreter, president of Major Tool.
USEC's American Centrifuge strategic suppliers include Alliant Techsystems, BWX Technologies Inc., Fluor Corporation and Honeywell International. USEC is working toward beginning commercial plant operations in late 2009 and having approximately 11,500 machines deployed in 2012, which would provide about 3.8 million separative work units (SWU) of production based on current estimates of machine output and plant availability. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a construction and operating license for the American Centrifuge Plant in April 2007 and construction officially began in May 2007.
As America's only commercial uranium enrichment facility using U.S. centrifuge technology, the American Centrifuge Plant will play an important role in America's energy security. Enrichment is the process by which the concentration of the fissionable uranium isotope, U-235, is increased in order to make fuel for nuclear power plants.
USEC Inc., a global energy company, is a leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.
This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involve risks and uncertainty. Economic, business, market, regulatory, technology and other factors could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. More information about these factors is contained 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: Elizabeth Stuckle, 301-564-3399 Investors: Steven Wingfield, 301-564-3354