Secretarial Determination of a National Security Purpose for the Sale or Transfer of Enriched Uranium, 45919-45920 [2018-19686]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 176 / Tuesday, September 11, 2018 / Notices Signed in Washington, DC on: August 27, 2018. Poli A. Marmolejos, Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals. daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES Ms. Audrey Beldio, NNSA Domestic Uranium Enrichment Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, [FR Doc. 2018–19687 Filed 9–10–18; 8:45 am] DC 20585, telephone (202) 586–1963, or BILLING CODE 6450–01–P email audrey.beldio@nnsa.doe.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY the United States does not possess a fully domestic uranium enrichment National Nuclear Security capability. The U.S. uranium Administration enrichment market consists of foreign enrichment technologies that cannot be Secretarial Determination of a National used to meet national security Security Purpose for the Sale or requirements for enriched uranium. Transfer of Enriched Uranium Acknowledging that it will take time to develop enrichment technologies and AGENCY: National Nuclear Security allow for thorough analysis to inform an Administration, Department of Energy. acquisition decision for producing ACTION: Notice. unobligated LEU, NNSA’s Domestic SUMMARY: On August 21, 2018, the Uranium Enrichment strategy includes Secretary of Energy issued a NNSA Defense Programs down-blending determination (‘‘Secretarial approximately 20 metric tons of HEU to Determination’’) covering the transfer of LEU for use as fuel in tritium low enriched uranium in support of the production reactors. The uranium will tritium production mission. The be transferred to the NNSA federal Secretarial Determination establishes partner, the Tennessee Valley Authority the national security purpose of these (TVA) only for use as fuel in a reactor transfers, therefore the transfers will be producing tritium and not for resale or conducted under the USEC Privatization retransfer. TVA will pay for the value of Act of 1996. uranium to be received. Use of this material is compliant with longDATES: The Secretary of Energy signed standing U.S. policy and international the determination on August 21, 2018. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:49 Sep 10, 2018 Jkt 244001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 45919 commitments that require LEU used for defense purposes to be free of peaceful use restrictions (‘‘unobligated’’). TVA is responsible for preserving the unobligated LEU to be used as fuel in tritium production reactors. The Department’s transfers of uranium are conducted in accordance with its authority under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and consistent with other applicable law. These uranium transfers will be conducted under Section 3112(e)(2) of the USEC Privatization Act of 1996, which provides for transfers of enriched uranium to any person for national security purposes, as determined by the Secretary. Signed in Washington, DC, on September 5, 2018. Philip T. Calbos, Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration. Appendix Department of Energy Set forth below is the full text of the Secretarial Determination: BILLING CODE 6450–01–P E:\FR\FM\11SEN1.SGM 11SEN1 45920 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 176 / Tuesday, September 11, 2018 / Notices The sn,pr.:I>T:!:II'll of Energy 20585 SECRETl\RTAL DETERMTNATION OF A NATIONAL SECURITY PURPOSE FOR THE OR TRANSFI!R OF ENRICHED lli'O•dUIJticm mission serve n national USEC Privatizallon Act purpuse under [FR Doc. 2018–19686 Filed 9–10–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–C VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:49 Sep 10, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\11SEN1.SGM 11SEN1 EN11SE18.004</GPH> daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES AUG 2 I

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45919-45920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19686]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Nuclear Security Administration


Secretarial Determination of a National Security Purpose for the 
Sale or Transfer of Enriched Uranium

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On August 21, 2018, the Secretary of Energy issued a 
determination (``Secretarial Determination'') covering the transfer of 
low enriched uranium in support of the tritium production mission. The 
Secretarial Determination establishes the national security purpose of 
these transfers, therefore the transfers will be conducted under the 
USEC Privatization Act of 1996.

DATES: The Secretary of Energy signed the determination on August 21, 
2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Audrey Beldio, NNSA Domestic 
Uranium Enrichment Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, telephone (202) 586-1963, 
or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Currently, the United States does not 
possess a fully domestic uranium enrichment capability. The U.S. 
uranium enrichment market consists of foreign enrichment technologies 
that cannot be used to meet national security requirements for enriched 
uranium.
    Acknowledging that it will take time to develop enrichment 
technologies and allow for thorough analysis to inform an acquisition 
decision for producing unobligated LEU, NNSA's Domestic Uranium 
Enrichment strategy includes NNSA Defense Programs down-blending 
approximately 20 metric tons of HEU to LEU for use as fuel in tritium 
production reactors. The uranium will be transferred to the NNSA 
federal partner, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) only for use as 
fuel in a reactor producing tritium and not for resale or retransfer. 
TVA will pay for the value of uranium to be received. Use of this 
material is compliant with long-standing U.S. policy and international 
commitments that require LEU used for defense purposes to be free of 
peaceful use restrictions (``unobligated''). TVA is responsible for 
preserving the unobligated LEU to be used as fuel in tritium production 
reactors.
    The Department's transfers of uranium are conducted in accordance 
with its authority under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and consistent 
with other applicable law. These uranium transfers will be conducted 
under Section 3112(e)(2) of the USEC Privatization Act of 1996, which 
provides for transfers of enriched uranium to any person for national 
security purposes, as determined by the Secretary.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on September 5, 2018.
Philip T. Calbos,
Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear 
Security Administration.

Appendix

Department of Energy

    Set forth below is the full text of the Secretarial 
Determination:
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

[[Page 45920]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN11SE18.004

[FR Doc. 2018-19686 Filed 9-10-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-C

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