Enrichment plant preparing for final review

Posted at: 10/28/2009 10:17 AM
By: The Associated Press

HOBBS, N.M. (AP) - The company that is building a southeastern New Mexico uranium enrichment plant is preparing for its final review from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission before starting its centrifuges and going into production.

Louisiana Energy Services president Reinhardt Hinterreither gave an update on the $3 billion facility's readiness to the Legislature's Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee on Monday in Hobbs.

He says the company expects federal regulators to conduct a final readiness review in mid-November with inspections in December and January. An exact date for the Eunice facility to begin operations has not been determined.

Louisiana Energy Services currently has 331 full-time employees at the site with a $35 million annual payroll. There also are 1,100 construction workers.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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