The Highly Enriched Uranium Disposition Program makes surplus HEU unusable for weapons and disposes of it in a safe, secure and environmentally acceptable manner.
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TVA Transfers

National Security Programs' Off-Specification Fuel Program works in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority's Blended Low Enriched Uranium Program to make surplus highly enriched uranium (HEU) nonweapons-usable by downblending to low-enriched uranium (LEU). LEU is then used as reactor fuel, thus recovering the economic value of the material.

Because of this partnership, Y‑12 and other DOE sites store significantly less legacy material; the U.S. stockpile of weapons-usable fissile material is reduced; costs to U.S. taxpayers are cut through reduced storage, security and disposal of the material and East Tennessee employs approximately 200 skilled workers.

We have taken material left from the Cold War and given it an important, peaceful use — energy.

Off-Specification Fuel Program Status as of June 30, 2009

  • Downblending: 95 percent complete
  • HEU deliveries are complete: 23 metric tons delivered
  • LEU deliveries are complete: 283 deliveries
  • 5.6 metric tons of additional HEU added to program in 2008