New US company Plans Uranium Conversion Facility
Newly-launched FluxPoint Energy says it is developing what it expects will be the first new uranium conversion facility in the USA in 70 years.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas and McLean, Virginia, FluxPoint Energy was officially launched last week at the CERAWeek international energy event in Houston, Texas. The company said its mission is to "establish a fully American, vertically integrated nuclear fuel capability - supporting energy independence, enabling advanced reactor deployment, and strengthening national security".
The planned facility will convert uranium oxide (U3O8) into uranium hexafluoride (UF6). Uranium must be converted from U3O8 - the "yellowcake" that is shipped from uranium mines and mills - to gaseous UF6 before it can be enriched in fissile uranium-235 for use in nuclear fuel. FluxPoint Energy is targeting first production in 2030–2031.
"Uranium conversion has become an unacceptable chokepoint in a global supply chain still dominated by foreign providers.
"America cannot lead in nuclear energy while relying on foreign-controlled fuel processing. FluxPoint was created to restore a critical piece of our nation's energy infrastructure - ensuring that US reactors have access to a secure, domestic fuel supply. This is about energy security, economic strength, and global leadership ... As global demand for reliable, carbon-free energy accelerates, FluxPoint Energy is positioning itself at the centre of a renewed American nuclear supply chain. We are helping unlock nuclear power's full potential as a cornerstone of the nation's energy future."
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