Silex Systems to become significant uranium enricher

Australian nuclear technology developer Silex Systems is poised to become a major enricher of uranium in the US market, displacing the current reliance on Russia for nuclear fuels.

This follows the selection of Silex’s 51 percent owned Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) by the US Department of Energy as one of six companies to receive funding under its Low Enriched Uranium Program.

The remainder of GLE is owned by Canadian fuel company Cameco.

DOE’s LEU Enrichment Acquisition Request for Proposals (RFP) provided for minimum funding of US$2 million with the maximum aggregate value for all awardees under DOE’s nuclear fuel initiatives of US$3.4bn.

Silex’s CEO/Managing Director Michael Goldsworthy said: “GLE’s success under the LEU Enrichment Acquisition RFP is a strong signal of the US Government’s support for GLE and the diversification of US enrichment capacity through the deployment of the third-generation SILEX uranium enrichment technology.

“We are grateful for this show of confidence from the DOE and look forward to supporting GLE as it progresses towards commercialisation of the SILEX uranium enrichment technology and the potential establishment of the planned PLEF, in Kentucky.”

Silex has been developing its laser enrichment technology, which produces fuels suitable for the not as yet commercial small modular reactors at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights facility in Sydney, and developing the basis for an enrichment business in the US.

In November Silex bought a 665-acre parcel of land for the company’s planned Paducah Laser Enrichment Facility (PLEF), in Kentucky for a planned processing plant for hundreds of thousands of tonnes of depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF6) tails inventories in storage by the DOE.

Silex told investors: “Funding awarded under the programme has the potential to support GLE becoming a significant uranium enrichment supplier into the US market.”

The final award value will depend on agreed task orders to be subsequently issued by the DOE.

“Subject to the successful completion of the company’s TRL-6 pilot demonstration project, industry and government support, NRC licensing, a feasibility assessment for the PLEF, suitable market conditions, and other factors, the SILEX technology could enable GLE to develop the planned PLEF project and become a key supplier of current and future nuclear fuels, including natural UF6, LEU, LEU+ and HALEU.”

Further reading:
Silex Systems buys land for uranium enrichment plant

Picture: Silex Systems/GLE/Planned PLEF site adjacent to PGDP