83 FR 45919 - Secretarial Determination of a National Security Purpose for the Sale or Transfer of Enriched Uranium

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 176 (September 11, 2018)

Page Range		45919-45920
FR Document		2018-19686

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.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45919-45920]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[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.

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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 audrey.beldio@nnsa.doe.gov.

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]]

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

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

Document Created: 2018-09-11 01:02:06
Document Modified: 2018-09-11 01:02:06

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		The Secretary of Energy signed the determination on August 21, 2018.
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]
FR Citation		83 FR 45919

83 FR 45919 - Secretarial Determination of a National Security Purpose for the Sale or Transfer of Enriched Uranium

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYNational Nuclear Security Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 176 (September 11, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration