Paducah could soon get first laser uranium enrichment facility

A land deal has been struck in Paducah for a potential first of its kind laser uranium enrichment facility.

WKMS reported this week that Global Laser Enrichment has had a deal with the US Department of Energy for eight years to use a process which vibrates uramium with lasers to recycle depleted uranium to be turned into fuel for nuclear power plants and enrichment facilities.

There are some 200,000 metric tons of depleted uranium "tails" in storage at the Paducah Gasesous Diffusion Plant.

Local officials said GLE signed an agreement recently that gives them the option to acquire a plot of land adjacent to the former PDGP, currently owned by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant produced fuel grade uranium beginning in 1964 to generate electricity in nuclear reactors until operations ceased in 2013.




source:  WKMS