An alliance of Areva, Washington Group International, and BWX Technologies, is to be joined by Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd (JNFL), as part of a plan to exploit opportunities arising from the US Department of Energy (DoE) Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) programme.
Under GNEP, the DoE is seeking a Nuclear Fuel Recycling Centre and an Advanced Recycling Reactor to close the nuclear fuel cycle and the addition of JNFL expertise in developing and operating its Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant in Japan is seen as a valuable addition to the alliance.
Michael McMurphy, president of Maryland-based Areva Inc said: “We’re ready to support the DoE and the nuclear energy industry by establishing the US as a key player in fuel cycle technology.”
The development comes as JNFL performs Cascade Tests at its uranium enrichment plant, the final step of the development of advanced centrifuge system.
JNFL is aiming to begin production in 2010.
