Techsnabexport exports low-enriched uranium to U.S.
MOSCOW. July 18 (Interfax) - Russian nuclear materials exporter Techsnabexport has made its first commercial delivery of low-enriched uranium to the United States as part of a deal with Exelon Generation Company, the Russian Federal Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, which the exporter is a part of, said in a press release.
Prior to that, Russia only exported low-enriched uranium to the United States in accordance with a HEU-LEU agreement, whereby HEU from Russian nuclear warheads is downblended into LEU (the agreement expires in 2013).
An antidumping duty on Russian LEU has prevented Techsnabexport from providing direct commercial exports of enriched uranium product to the United States. The duty was regulated by an agreement on the suspension of an antidumping investigation. However, in 2008, Rosatom and the U.S. Trade Department signed amendments to the agreement giving Techsnabexport the opportunity to gradually increase direct uranium exports to the U.S. market to 20%.
Techsnabexport General Director Alexei Grigoryev said that about half of the 20% quota had so far been achieved. Techsnabexport has signed 12 direct contracts with 10 U.S. nuclear fuel companies totalling over $5 billion. The company plans to sign at least one more contract in 2011, according to its annual report.