§2153a Approval for Enrichment After Export of Source or Special Nuclear Material; Export of Major Critical Components of Enrichment Facilities

Summary

The United States must give permission before any source or special nuclear material sent from the U.S. can be enriched after it leaves the country, unless a specific cooperation agreement says otherwise. The approval process must follow the same steps as approvals for "subsequent arrangements" under section 2160. Any promises from the recipient that the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of State think are needed to make sure U.S. approval will actually be obtained before enrichment must be made first and included when the executive branch sends its judgment about the export. Also, no material may be sent for enrichment or reactor fuel to any nation or group that, after March 10, 1978, entered into a new or changed cooperation agreement with the U.S., except under that agreement. Major critical components for uranium enrichment, fuel reprocessing, or heavy water production plants cannot be exported under any cooperation agreement (except agreements under sections 2121(c), 2164(b), or 2164(c)) unless the agreement clearly lists those components as allowed exports. "Major critical component" means a part or group of parts the President decides are essential to running a complete such facility.