The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said recently that it plans to extend the contract for Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DUF6) Conversion facilities in Kentucky and Ohio.
BWXT Conversion Services LLC (BWCS) will continue its work at these facilities for an additional nine months. These facilities, located in Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio, focus on the conversion of DUF6 — a byproduct of uranium enrichment — into a stable uranium oxide form that can be disposed of safely or recycled.
The DOE Office of Environmental Management said approximately 700,000 metric tons of DUF6 will be treated through these facilities.
This contract extension is valued at $68 million. The initial contract with BWCS would have expired on Friday.
These facilities also handle surveillance and maintenance of DUF6 inventories in the U.S. prior to the material’s processing.
