Off-Specification Highly Enriched Uranium Blend Down Program Interrelationships and a Program Update (U)

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Fissile Materials Disposition (NA-26) was established to demonstrate the nation’s commitment to non- proliferation and manage the disposition of surplus HEU materials to a state unsuitable for weapons use by blending it down to low-enriched uranium (LEU) or to waste. In 1995, the President declared 174 metric tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) surplus to defense needs. The U. S. HEU Disposition Program was established to plan, integrate, and manage the disposition activities for this material across the DOE complex. Approximately 60 metric tons of this surplus HEU inventory is considered off- specification (off-spec) because when down blended to LEU it would not meet the American Society for Testing and Materials specification for normal commercial nuclear fuel. Within the US HEU Disposition Program, the Off-Spec HEU Fuel Program was formed to focus on the disposition of the off-spec materials. A diverse team consisting of public, private, government, and quasi-government has developed and is successfully achieving the objectives of making this surplus HEU unsuitable for weapons use, and, to the maximum extent possible, recover the economic value of this material. It’s the interrelationships of this team which continue to make the Off-Spec HEU Fuel Program a success.