U.S. lawmakers question why Centrus awarded federal uranium contract
Source: Reuters
BUSINESS NEWS NOVEMBER 13, 2019 / 3:40 PM / A DAY AGO
U.S. lawmakers question why Centrus awarded federal uranium contract
Timothy Gardner
3 MIN READ
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives asked officials at the Energy Department on Wednesday how Centrus Energy Corp, a company whose chief recently served as deputy at the department, won a federal contract to demonstrate a production method for a new nuclear power plant fuel.
The Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of intent in January to award a no-bid $115 million contract to Centrus to demonstrate by June 2022 production of a new fuel called high-assay low-enriched uranium, known as HALEU, which one day could be used in advanced nuclear reactors.
“We are deeply concerned about the Department of Energy’s award to Centrus Energy Corporation to demonstrate a method of producing” HALEU, the lawmakers said in a letter to Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
The letter, seen by Reuters, was also sent to Dan Brouillette, Trump’s nominee to replace Perry, who is stepping down next month.
The lawmakers said they support the DOE’s research activities to speed advanced nuclear reactor development but “we have questions about how this contract was funded, why other companies were not allowed to compete for the award, and whether the need for HALEU in the near-term is well-supported.”
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-uranium-centrus/u-s-lawmakers-question-why-centrus-awarded-federal-uranium-contract-idUSKBN1XN2N4
= new reply since forum marked as read