The NRC issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement today saying in a statement that “environmental impacts from the facility would be generally small, and recommended issuing the license.”

“With the NRC Final Environmental Impact Statement, AREVA’s Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility continues its steady march forward toward regulatory approval. Based on current progress, we remain confident we can receive license approval for this facility this year,” said Sam Shakir, President and CEO of AREVA Enrichment Services.

Click here to read the NRC release.

Read the news of the announcement here.

George Besse II Enrichment Plant

Both Georges Besse II and the Eagle Rock Enrichment facilities will use advanced enrichment technology that requires 50 times less electricity than the current industry process.

The success of this plant is significant for providing lessons learned to the U.S. project. AREVA is already working to utilize and transfer the engineering, construction, and project processes perfected over the development of the Georges Besse II facility. The Eagle Rock facility will benefit from this first-hand experience, and AREVA is excited to begin work on this project to provide a domestic enrichment source for the United States.

Read more about the inauguration here.

AREVA welcomes these opportunities in Boise, Idaho Falls and elsewhere to allow people to learn more about the Eagle Rock project. We are developing a state-of-the-art uranium enrichment facility using proven, reliable and safe technology to produce fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

Representatives for several elected officials, including Idaho Gov. C. L. “Butch” Otter, members of the Idaho delegation and others expressed their support for the Eagle Rock project at the Boise meeting. Also many members of Idaho’s business community praised the positive economic impact the project would have, including the creation of thousands of jobs. Others expressed concerns about the potential environmental impact of the facility. While views ran the spectrum, this well-run meeting by the NRC offered a good opportunity for stakeholders to learn more about the project.

“AREVA is excited to be a part of Idaho’s business community, and we look forward to continuing our work with the state and the people of southeastern Idaho,” said Bob Poyser, vice president of regional affairs at AREVA. “We plan to build and operate a safe, environmentally sustainable, world class facility that is important to America’s energy security, important to our American utility customers and important to the advancement of Idaho’s continued leadership in nuclear programs.”

Click here for more information on the Eagle Rock project.

The plant will provide American energy security by helping to secure the supply of domestic uranium enrichment to the country’s 104 operating nuclear reactors.

The construction, licensing, and operation of this facility will generate about 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in the United States, while producing more than $5 billion in economic activity in the regional economy.

More information on this announcement here Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility and AREVA’s investment in American energy security here.

“DOE’s decision is great news for AREVA and Idaho,” said Governor Otter. “The loan guarantee confirms that Idaho continues to lead the nuclear renaissance in America. The decision also paves the way for new careers and economic recovery across the state.”
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Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter (link)



”This loan guarantee from the Department of Energy is a crucial step in meeting the demand for a reliable, U.S.-based source of enriched uranium to fuel our nuclear power plants,” said Risch, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “It is also a great benefit to our local communities and the state for the positive economic impact the new construction and permanent operation jobs that will come about from this facility.”
– Idaho Senator Jim Risch (link)

“Developing new U.S.-based sources of uranium enrichment is critical to the country being able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieving energy independence, having a reliable supply for domestic power reactors and protecting our national security,” said Crapo. “If we are going to have a chance at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a robust expansion of nuclear power is the only way to do it without tanking the economy. The Eagle Rock plant will be one of Idaho’s contributions to this worthy and attainable goal.”
– Idaho Senator Mike Crapo

“I want to congratulate AREVA and the people of Eastern Idaho who have worked so hard to secure this loan guarantee and bring the Eagle Rock facility to our state,” said Simpson, a member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the Department of Energy and the Loan Guarantee program. “Nuclear energy must play a strong role in our nation’s energy future and the Eagle Rock facility’s contribution to that future will be enormous.”
– Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson

“This project will have impact far beyond Idaho Falls,” said Minnick. “Alternative energy solutions such as nuclear power and woody biomass are a crucial part of our work toward an economic recovery. This project will help Idaho businesses and universities do just that, and will help meet our shared goal of Idaho becoming a national leader in the new energy future.”

– Idaho Congressmen Walt Minnick

View full release here

Graphic representation of the proposed Eagle Rock facility

With this loan guarantee AREVA can secure the financing necessary for this large-scale, capital-intensive project and take the next steps forward with this major investment in the American economy.

This conditional loan guarantee is not a hand-out, but is part of a program designed to provide a federal backstop for companies working to invest and provide important clean energy projects for the United States.

The DOE loan guarantee program was developed to provide a last level of support so that companies can invest in clean energy projects—including smart grids, renewable, and nuclear energy—to spur vital U.S. economic and energy development. According to the DOE, the “loan guarantee program is not intended for technologies in research and development. DOE believes that accelerated commercial use of new or improved technologies will help to sustain economic growth, yield environmental benefits, and produce a more stable and secure energy supply.”

As part of the extensive loan guarantee review process, the DOE performed a comprehensive and stringent analysis which determined that the Eagle Rock project meets the highest standards for its innovative yet proven technology and the project’s creditworthiness.

Designed to meet the current enrichment needs of the nation’s nuclear power plants, this facility will be an essential part of America’s energy infrastructure and support the nation’s energy security. The construction and operation of the facility will also create an enormous economic impact including 4,800 direct and indirect jobs and billions of dollars of investments for the local economy.

However, this only represents part of the total investment AREVA is making in the United States. As the largest American employer in our sector, AREVA is investing today in new facilities, capabilities and employees to help meet our energy needs tomorrow. This includes significant investments for the construction of our heavy component manufacturing facility in Newport News, Virginia, and some $250 million in research and development for the US EPR™ reactor.

For more information see the press release.

So why do public concerns remain? As radiation expert, Dr. John E. Till noted during a recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission panel of experts meeting, “I’m surprised to be here based on what we know about the science of the material. But on the other hand, the perception of tritium as a potential rise in the environment to the public is huge; it is absolutely huge.”

For the nuclear energy industry, managing and removing the potential for threats is a way of life. Safety is the number one priority for the most regulated industry in the world with every aspect analyzed and measured to ensure the highest measure of quality.

But this high level of regulation is not the reason or motivation behind nuclear industry’s record as the safest energy industry in the United States. It has everything to do with trust.

Because of the inherent risk (sometimes incorrect assumptions about the effects of radiation) and potentially unseen dangers, everyone involved in the nuclear energy industry knows that trust of the community is an utmost priority. Providing 20 percent of the nation’s energy (and 72 percent of its carbon free energy) means nothing if there is a fear that the industry is not doing everything possible to operate safely.

That is why, in addition to further education on what tritium is and its potential effects on the environment, AREVA is reaching out to let you know that the industry is working to do more.

AREVA, for its part, has designed several tools to minimize the possible risk associated with tritium making its way into the environment. AREVA has developed and successfully employed a process that reinforces the layer of protection to the reactor liner in more than 40 plants worldwide. In addition, AREVA has improved its nuclear fuel design by integrating materials that reduce the potential production of tritium.

Because we know every effort must be taken to prevent potential risk.

The biggest change our area will see will be the arrival of Areva and their multi-billion dollar uranium enrichment facility.

Not only will the company hire locals or bring in new jobs that will stimulate our local economy, a very hurting construction industry will be major benefactors of the company. [. . .]

Areva is likely to bring between 800 and 1,000 construction jobs alone. And once the facility is running, more than 300 jobs will be created.

That’s the kind of thing that can really help a local economy… because the money paid to the people who work those 800-1,000 construction jobs, and the 300+ permanent jobs, will keep circulating around the Idaho Falls region as the employees patronize local businesses and services. Idaho Falls is just one community that’s finding new vitality in the green jobs of the nuclear renaissance.