OCR Text |
Show AEC Relaxing Restrictions On Foreign Uranium The Atomic Energy 1 Commission proposes to relax gradually and eventually even-tually to remove existing restrictions on enrich- ment of uranium of foreign for-eign origin intended for use in domestic nuclear power plants. The AEC proposes that in 1977 up to 10 percent of the uranium furnished for enrichment by any customer mav be of foreign for-eign origin when the enriched en-riched product is for use in a domestic plant. The amount would be increased in-creased to 15 percent in 1978, 20 percent in 1979, 30 percent in 1980, 40 1 percent in 1981, 60 percent per-cent in 1982. and 80 percent per-cent in 1983. Starting Start-ing in 1984, there would be no restrictions , on enrichment of foreign uranium for domestic use. Before it is fabricated into fuel elements, na- tural uranium is first ! processed in AFX' - owned own-ed gaseous diffusion 1 plants to obtain a pro-, pro-, duct having a higher per- centage of the isotope i U-235. In 1964, Congress amended the Atomic En- ergy Act to provide for i private ownership of this , enriched uranium. The amended act provides, however, that the Com-' Com-' mission, to the extent ne- cessary to assure the the maintenance of a viable vi-able domestic uranium industry, shall not offer its enrichment services ' for uranium of foreign ' origin intended for domestic do-mestic end use. Accordingly, Accord-ingly, the Commission ' has not accepted foreign uranium for this purpose. The restriction does not ' apply to foreign uranium when the enriched product pro-duct is to be re-exported for use in a foreign nuclear nu-clear power plant. At one time, the Commission Com-mission considered that it might be possible to re-, re-, move the restrictions by 1973. However, the mark-i mark-i et for uranium continued 1 to be soft due to delays in construction and oper- ation of nuclear plants. ! Consequently, the Com- mission decided in 1971 that relaxation of the re-, re-, restriction on foreign uranium ur-anium should be delayed. The Commission has now determined that a high rate of ordering of nuclear power reactors during the last few years assures a growing and substantial future requirement re-quirement for uranium, and that by the late 1970's the viability of the domestic do-mestic uranium producing produc-ing industry will be well established. Utilization of some foreign uranium should not adversely affect af-fect the domestic producers produ-cers but would rather serve as a supplement J to domestic supplies and allow U.S. utilities diversification diver-sification of uranium sources. The AEC will continue to monitor the domestic uranium market mark-et situation to determine the effect of the importation impor-tation of uranium, if any, on the viability of the domestic do-mestic producing industry in-dustry and on the President's Pre-sident's objective of achieving ach-ieving the capability for this country to be self-sufficient self-sufficient in its energy resources. In the early 1980's and beyond a large worldwide demand for uranium will assure ample markets for both domestic and foreign uranium producers. The current production capability capa-bility of the domestic uranium ur-anium producing industry is about 18.000 tons of U308 a year. By 1980, the nuclear power plants in the United States will need more than 30.01)0 tons a year and by 1991) more than 100.000 tons. Since lead times are long in development of raw material supplies, the Commission believes firm (iovernment plans regarding imported uranium ur-anium should assist industry in-dustry planning for production pro-duction and procurement. The Commission invites in-vites public comments on the proposed plan which should be directed to the Secretary of the Commission. Com-mission. Attention, Chief, Public Proceedings Staff, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Com-mission. Washington, I). C. 20515, by February 25, 1974. |