The United States is on the verge of approving a license later this month for the world's first plant to enrich uranium on a commercial scale for civilian nuclear power reactors using laser technology developed by an Australian company.
The Australian firm, Silex Systems Ltd., says that its secret laser system is cheaper than existing methods of turning natural uranium into fuel for reactors that generate electricity.
The plant could be in operation in the U.S. by 2016. It would be run by a partnership of three leading nuclear suppliers, America's GE Energy, Japan's Hitachi Ltd. and Canada's Cameco, the largest uranium producer.