In addition to the separative work units provided by an enrichment facility, the other important parameter to be considered is the mass of natural uranium ( NU ) that is needed to yield a desired mass of enriched uranium.
12.
Moreover, the company enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the United States on such work, enriching uranium for about $ 60 per separative work unit _ the standard measure of the effort used in processing varying amounts of the material _ and selling it to utilities for $ 120.
13.
Because of the improvements in gas centrifuge technology in the 2000s, replacing former gaseous diffusion plants, cheaper separative work units have enabled the economic production of more enriched uranium from a given amount of natural uranium, by re-enriching tails ultimately leaving a depleted uranium tail of lower enrichment.
14.
The Paducah plant had a capacity of 11.3 million separative work units per year ( SWU / year ) in 1984.1812 stages were located in five buildings : C-310 with 60 stages, C-331 with 400 stages, C-333 with 480 stages, C-335 with 400 stages and C-337 with 472 stages.
