IAEA LEU Bank hosts 90 tons of nuclear fuel

The IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank, located within the territory of the Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) in Ust-Kamenogorsk, East Kazakhstan, stores up to 90 tons of LEU for nuclear energy generation, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

Operational since December 10, 2019, LEU Bank hosts low-enriched uranium for the IAEA members in case of possible sharp supply disruptions. However, according to the press service of the UMP, no IAEA member country has so far requested for guaranteed supply.

In 2018, a public tender completed for the procurement of low-enriched uranium for the LEU Bank, with Kazatomprom and France’s Orano Cycle ended up supplying uranium hexafluoride so as the Bank achieves its planned occupancy. Currently, the amount of low-enriched uranium the Bank hosts stands at 90 tons, said Yulia Antonova, head of the public relations department at the UMP.

To add, uranium hexafluoride is a key element for creating nuclear fuel. Once enriched, uranium hexafluoride is converted to powder and fuel pellets for use at nuclear plants.

To note, the UMP boasts 60 years of handling of uranium hexafluoride, necessary infrastructure, qualified personnel as well as robust physical protection system. The Plant is also subject to the IAEA safeguards regime.

Earlier it was reported that the Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) in Ust-Kamenogorsk reported that all fuel assemblies (FA) they produce that power nuclear power plants are exported only to China.