This is the important bit IMHO,
"In addition to the traditional fuel markets which provide LEU for today’s reactor fleet,there is
significantsupply riskinthe emerging market for HALEU fuel, required for next generation
advanced SMRs. With no HALEU production capabilityavailableanywhere in the West in the
short term,someSMR developers were planning to purchase Russian-sourced HALEU over
the next decade orlonger. This has given rise to some urgency around the world to establish
HALEU production capability as soon as possible.The above mentioned HALEU AvailabilityProgram,being planned by the US DOEisthe mostrelevant to GLE.
In summary, we believe Western nuclear fuel markets will undergoafundamental realignment
over the next 12 to 24 months towards a more resilient and sustainable footing, with the aim
of becoming less dependentor free of reliance on Russian and other State-Ownednuclear
fuel suppliers.We believe this realignmentcouldendure for decades,given the renewed focus
on longterm energy security.
Andlet me state again, Paducah will be their biggest target going forward and maybe even with HALEU, but it wont be able to supply anything related to enrichment until sometime in 2027 and that is only Plef 1, when would Plef 2 or Plef 3 (the latter which is HALEU) be available?
Like it has been written numerous times in articles, I have read that there isn't enough DOE HEU to downblend to supply all of their need only a small amount and the AIF was introduced to circumvent that problem and downblending is not part of that, is what I read!
From the latest announcement they said this-:
In February, GLE submitted a response to a Request for Information issued by the US
DOE3for the establishment of a HALEU Availability Program (i.e.,the third opportunity
noted above). In August, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was passed, which makes
important investments in the US nuclear industry, including a US$700m funding
package forthe HALEUAvailabilityProgram. GLEwillexplore opportunities to
participate in theProgram as it unfolds;
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) runs through to early 2026, so Paducah cant be part of that supply, but I reckon there may be an interim solution until Paducah is built an running, namely use Wilmington perhaps as a stop gap? but something that could supply small quantities of HALEU until Paducah is built.
see here-:
The PLEF Icommercial project opportunityinvolvesGLE constructing the proposednatural
UF6production plantutilising the SILEX technology to enrich the DOE tails inventories which
have been stored in the form of depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF6–containing U235assays
from0.25%upto 0.5%)to produce natural grade uranium (assay of ~0.7%). Subject to
completion of the technology commercialisation project, regulatory approvals, financingand
prevailing market conditions, itmay bepossiblethePLEFI plantcouldcommence commercial
operationsas early as2027.
AND they are only talking about Plef1 only, NOT Plef 2 or Plef 3 the latter being HALEU.
Now this from the release re Wilmington!
Prototype testing ofpilot-scale separator and gas handlingsystemsat GLE’s Test Loop facility
is well advanced, with the construction ofremaining pilot-scaleequipmenton track to be
completedaroundthe end ofCY2023. After integration and commissioning, the full SILEX
technology pilot demonstration facility is expected to be put into serviceas early as2024
(assuming acceleration of thecommercialisation timeline, as outlined above)
Silex and GLE are currently focused on construction of full-scale laser and separator
equipment which will be deployed in GLE’s Test Loop facility in Wilmington, North
Carolina, with the aim of completing a commercial pilot(TRL-62)demonstration of the
SILEX uranium enrichment technology;
Page7
The PilotDemonstration Project for the SILEX Technology:
ThePilot DemonstrationProjectbeing conducted jointly by Silex and GLE is progressing well
with momentum building.Sincetheir appointments in 2021, GLE’s new CEOStephen Long
andCCOJames Dobchukare leading GLE’s commercialisation project with great enthusiasm.
Numerous engineering and technicalappointmentshave been made over the past year, and
continue to be madefor both the GLE technology team in Wilmington, NC and for the Silex
technology team in Lucas Heights, Sydney.
Now, I have never said that Paducah won't go ahead or that they may produce HALEU there one day, but they way I read it? is it is physically impossible for them to supply HALEU for the AIS program where HALEU has to be available by early 2026, all I am saying is there may be a stopgap possible by using the Wilmington commercial pilot to produce HALEU, I will leave it at that, make up your own minds, I know some have already, to my mind they have not thought it through enough!
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