PIKETON, Ohio - Two methods for analyzing uranium, developed by USEC’s Portsmouth Plant laboratory personnel, were approved by ASTM International in late June 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will be published in the Year 2003 edition of the Annual Book of the ASTM Standards, Volume 12.01 on the Nuclear Fuel Cycle.

In more than 130 varied industry areas, ASTM standards serve as the basis for manufacturing, procurement, and regulatory activities. Formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International provides standards that are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems, and commercial transactions around the globe.

“By taking the initiative in developing these international laboratory methods, USEC demonstrates its leadership in the uranium business," said Gary Workman, Manager of the Portsmouth Plant’s Production Support organization. "This was an excellent accomplishment for our corporation and for the Portsmouth Plant."

The ASTM-approved methods include the following:

• Standard Test Method for Measurement of 235U Fraction Using the Enrichment Meter Principle (C1514-02) presented to the ASTM by Richard Mayer II of Portsmouth. This method determines the enrichment of pure uranium compounds using nondestructive assay (NDA) methods. NDA methods are used to characterize radioactive material without disturbing the container or the item in which it is located.
  
  
• Standard Test Method for Determination of Technetium 99 in Uranium Hexafluoride by Liquid Scintillation Counting (C1539-02) presented to the ASTM by Randy Blevins of Wheelersburg. This particular method provides USEC with the ability to perform technetium analysis through industry-accepted standards.

The United States Enrichment Corporation is a subsidiary of USEC Inc. (NYSE: USU), a global energy company and the world’s leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

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