U.S. DOE Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Facilities

Client: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Location: Paducah, KY and Piketon, OH, U.S.

Map showing the location of U.S. DOE Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Facilities

Executive Summary

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected Mid-America Conversion Services, LLC (MCS), a joint venture comprising Atkins, Fluor and Westinghouse, to operate the depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) conversion facilities at DOE's Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Kentucky, and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio.

Client's Challenge

The project includes the operation of DUF6 conversion facilities for the purpose of processing DOE's inventory of stored DUF6, a co-product of the uranium enrichment process.

The facilities convert DUF6 to depleted uranium oxide for possible future reuse, storage or disposal. A co-product of the conversion process is hydrofluoric acid, which can be reused in industrial processes.

Fluor's Solution

MCS will operate the two DUF6 conversion facilities to continue the conversion of the DOE's inventory of approximately 765,000 metric tons of DUF6 to depleted uranium oxide.

The team of leading nuclear industry experts will also broker the sale of the aqueous hydrofluoric acid product and provide surveillance and maintenance services for the DUF6 cylinder inventory.

Conclusion

The DOE selected a joint venture comprising Atkins, Fluor and Westinghouse to operate two DUF6 conversion facilities at its Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

MCS would continue the conversion of the DOE's inventory of depleted uranium hexafluoride to depleted uranium oxide. Work commenced in 2017.