Project Overview
The $1.5 billion National Enrichment Facility (NEF) in Southeastern New Mexico is the first major nuclear facility to be licensed in the U.S. in three decades, and the first ever to be awarded a combined construction and operating license.
Washington Division initially is providing construction management services for the uranium enrichment facility. NEF will produce enriched uranium for nuclear fuel rods required to operate commercial nuclear power plants.
Highlights & Accomplishments:
The National Enrichment Facility will use a proven technology that has operated safely in Europe for 30 years to efficiently produce low-enriched uranium. The facility will be capable of producing enough enriched uranium to supply 25% of U.S. power plant demand by 2013.
The facility will require approximately 1 million square feet under roof. Buildings will be constructed of nuclear safety related concrete. The concrete will be produced with on-site batch facilities using qualified cement, aggregate, and sand from various locations in the southwestern United States.
The first of six cascade halls is scheduled to begin enriching uranium by July 2009. Enriched uranium will be shipped beginning in late 2009 and the last cascade hall will be constructed in 2011.