BETHESDA, Md. - The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled today that low-enriched uranium (LEU) imports from Europe are harming the U.S. uranium enrichment industry. In a unanimous vote, the ITC determined that these imports have materially injured and/or threaten to materially injure USEC Inc. (NYSE: USU), the sole domestic supplier of enriched uranium.

“The U.S. government’s decision will help ensure that the U.S. enrichment market remains open for strong, healthy competition,” said USEC President and CEO William H. Timbers. “We believe this is in the long-term interests of our industry, our customers and the nation’s energy security.”

Timbers added, “The ITC and U.S. Department of Commerce have concluded thorough and even-handed investigations. With the case completed, USEC looks forward to competing in a fairly priced market and to working with the rest of the nuclear industry to advance nuclear power’s position as the world’s most economical and environmentally sound source of energy.”

This ruling concludes the U.S. government’s yearlong investigation into the unfair pricing practices of two European enrichers, Eurodif, S.A., a French government-controlled entity, and Urenco, Ltd., a British-Dutch-German consortium. On February 4, the ITC will transmit its decision to the DOC, and the department will soon after issue final antidumping and countervailing duty orders.

Final DOC duties in the Eurodif case are 32.10 percent and in the Urenco case, 2.23 percent. Using the industry standard unit of measurement, the separative work unit (SWU), this is equivalent to estimated duties on the value of Eurodif SWU of 53.50 percent and on the value of Urenco SWU of 3.72 percent.

USEC Inc., a global energy company, is the world’s leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

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