NRC renews license for Honeywell uranium conversion facility for 40 years

The Honeywell uranium conversion plant in Metropolis, Ill., will operate for another 40 years, thanks to the renewal of its operating license by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) this week.

The facility is presently in a ready-idle status and contains a reduced amount of material on site. It had submitted a license renewal application back in February 2017. For renewal to be considered, the NRC staff focused on Honeywell’s decommissioning funding, the facility’s environmental effects, facility changes and safety, and the controls to monitor material degradation and aging over its license term. The conclusion was that it would not significantly affect the environment or pose a risk to public health and safety.

Uranium conversion is a step in the nuclear fuel cycle wherein uranium oxide from mills and recovery facilities is converted into uranium hexafluoride. At that point, the new material is transported to other facilities for enrichment and conversion into fuel for use in commercial nuclear power reactors.

The plant’s new license will not expire until March 24, 2060.