By Chris Taylor
Paducah, KY – Energy company USEC says the operational life of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion plant will go beyond its scheduled end in 2012. Officials say the decision to stop construction of a new uranium enrichment plant near Portsmouth, Ohio is the reason the Paducah plant will see longer use. USEC has stopped building the new plant because the Department of Energy denied backing a $2 billion loan.
Paducah Mayor Bill Paxton says this is obviously good news for the area, but knows the plant will ultimately close due to operational expenses.