Eastern Idaho Uranium Enrichment Plant On Hold

Delays in licensing of French energy giant Areva's uranium enrichment plant near Idaho Falls mean construction won't start until 2012. The delay has caused URS to layoff several engineers who were assigned to the $3.2 billion project expected to have 1,000 people working on construction. The company tells the Idaho statesman that the decsion is solely tied to later projected approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and not by recent concerns over nuclear energy. the company planned to begin work this fall. The NRC has told company officials approval could come in the later side of that window. The plant's final licensing step is a hearing before the Atomic Safety Licensing Board in July.