BETHESDA, Md. -The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a preliminary ruling yesterday that unfair uranium dumping would likely occur again if the existing Russian suspension agreement were terminated.

"We are encouraged by the Commerce Department’s preliminary decision," said USEC President and CEO William H. Timbers. "This ruling is an important step in validating USEC’s assertion that terminating the suspension agreement would significantly impair the U.S. uranium industry. As one of several U.S. companies that would be adversely affected by dumping, we will continue to work with the government to ensure that restrictions are maintained on unfairly traded uranium."

Yesterday’s ruling was part of the department’s "sunset review" of the agreement, which it initiated last August. The agreement, which suspended a 1991 antidumping investigation, limits imports of Russian uranium into the U.S. market. In its ruling, the Commerce Department found that revocation of the suspension agreement would lead to renewed dumping. The ruling will be published in the Federal Register, and a final department determination will be issued in June.

To keep the suspension agreement in place, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) also must determine that termination of the agreement would lead to a continuation or recurrence of material injury to the U.S. uranium industry. The ITC’s decision on this issue is expected in July.

USEC Inc. (NYSE: USU) is the world’s leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. A global energy company, USEC has its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, and operates production plants in Kentucky and Ohio.

###