PIKETON, OH - Centrus Energy has secured approval from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to import Russian-enriched uranium in 2025 under existing contracts. This decision, reported by S&P Global, comes as debates intensify over reliance on foreign nuclear resources and the health risks associated with uranium enrichment.
Centrus initially requested waivers covering 2024 through 2027, but the DOE approved only the 2025 deliveries, deferring decisions for 2026 and 2027. Centrus has confirmed plans to submit a new application for those years.
Plans to Expand in Piketon, Ohio
The approval coincides with Centrus’s plans to expand its enrichment operations at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) in Piketon, Ohio. The PGDP, operational from 1954 to 2001, was a major uranium enrichment facility, but its legacy includes extensive environmental contamination and health concerns for surrounding communities.
In 2022, epidemiologist Joe Mangano of the Radiation and Public Health Project published a comprehensive report detailing the health impacts of PGDP operations on Pike County residents. Mangano’s findings revealed a sharp rise in cancer cases and deaths over decades, linking these trends to environmental contamination from the site.
- Cancer Incidence: Pike County recorded the highest cancer incidence rate in Ohio from 2010 to 2019, with rates 15% higher than the national average. In 2019 alone, the county’s cancer rate was 32.5% higher than the U.S. average.
- Cancer Mortality: Between 2009 and 2020, Pike County’s cancer death rate exceeded the national average by 50% for individuals under age 75.
- Childhood Cancer: While Pike County’s childhood cancer rates were below national averages in the 1950s and 1960s, they have since risen to exceed the national rate by 20.8%.
The report also noted elevated mortality rates from other causes in Pike County, particularly among residents under 75, with deaths from all causes nearly double the national rate by 2020.
Ongoing Health and Environmental Concerns
Mangano’s 2022 report, along with subsequent studies, have drawn renewed attention to the environmental and health impacts of the PGDP, including radioactive and chemical emissions into the air, water, and soil. These contaminants, combined with poor monitoring and record-keeping, have left a lasting legacy of pollution. A middle school near the site was closed in 2019 after radioactive contaminants were detected, adding to community concerns.
Despite decades of cleanup efforts, Pike County residents and advocacy groups continue to call for more comprehensive research and accountability. Mangano’s report emphasizes the need for robust studies into the links between radioactive exposure and rising cancer rates.
Energy Policy vs. Public Health
While nuclear energy proponents argue that it is essential for reducing carbon emissions, Centrus’s plans to expand operations in Piketon raise questions about the risks of uranium enrichment in a community still grappling with the aftermath of contamination. Critics also question the wisdom of approving Russian uranium imports during a time of geopolitical tensions, suggesting that the U.S. should prioritize domestic uranium production.
The tension between energy policy and public health is particularly pronounced in Pike County, where the local population bears the brunt of environmental and health risks associated with the nuclear industry. As Centrus pushes forward with its plans, the elevated cancer rates serve as a stark reminder of the long-term consequences of uranium enrichment and radioactive exposure.
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