The DoE has now issued an RFP for de-conversion services - see below:
https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/us-department-energy-issues-haleu-deconversion-request-proposalsIt will be interesting to see if GLE (or Cameco) or possibly Westinghouse bid for this as it would be give the PLEF a boost if a de conversion was co-sited with the PLEF plant (I understand that in the past Paducah had a de-conversion plant so the approvals should be easy and some of the old plant may still be recoverable/usable)
DOE Seeks Proposals to Acquire HALEU Deconversion Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a request for proposals (RFP) for deconversion services to help establish a reliable domestic supply of fuels for advanced reactors using high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) — a crucial material needed to develop and deploy advanced reactors in the United States.
DOE plans to award one or more contracts to deconvert HALEU as uranium hexafluoride gas to various chemical forms, such as metal or oxide, used to fabricate fuels required by many advanced reactor developers. The deconverted material will be stored until there is a need to ship it to a fuel fabricator or other end user.
“Deconversion services are a key link in developing an advanced reactor fuel supply chain here in the United States,” said Dr. Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. “We need these services urgently to enable advanced reactor deployments in support of our clean energy future.”
All deconversion contracts will last for up to 10 years, and the base awards guarantee a minimum of $2 million to each recipient. Deconversion and storage services must occur in the continental United States and activities must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. MST on January 30, 2024.
DOE plans to issue a second RFP later this year, which focuses on acquiring, storing, and transporting enriched uranium hexafluoride gas to the deconverters.
Both RFPs incorporate industry feedback on the draft RFPs that were issued in June 2023.
DOE projects that more than 40 metric tons of HALEU could be needed before the end of the decade, with additional amounts required each year, to deploy a new fleet of advanced reactors in time to supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035.
The Energy Act of 2020 authorizes DOE to establish and carry out a program to support the availability of HALEU for civilian domestic research, development, demonstration, and commercial use. DOE established the HALEU Availability Program to respond to this congressional direction. The program will prioritize addressing long-standing and persistent environmental justice issues and be responsive to President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provided $700 million to the HALEU Availability Program.
More information on the HALEU Availability Program can be found at HALEU Availability Program | Department of Energy.
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