XML 50 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies |
Commitments and Contingencies | 12. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Power Contract On May 15, 2012, the power purchase agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA") was amended to extend its term and TVA and USEC entered into a supplemental confirmation agreement pursuant to the amended power purchase agreement for USEC to purchase the power needed to operate the Paducah GDP during the one-year term of the depleted uranium enrichment agreement with Energy Northwest. Under this supplemental agreement, USEC made purchases of electricity during June 2012 through September 2012 at monthly amounts increasing from approximately 750 to 1,250 megawatts and USEC has a take or pay obligation to purchase electricity at approximately 1,500 megawatts for the remaining months of the contract through May 2013, less a 25% reduction in May 2013 to provide a transition in power delivery. Minimum payments under the one-year supplemental agreement and the amended power purchase agreement total approximately $0.5 billion. USEC has the right to terminate its power purchase obligations under the supplemental agreement if Energy Northwest terminates the depleted uranium enrichment agreement, or fails to deliver depleted uranium or to meet its payment obligations, and USEC ceases enrichment at Paducah as a result. In such a case, USEC will agree with TVA on a schedule to reduce to zero over a period of thirty days all power purchases in a manner that ensures safe and reliable operation of Paducah. American Centrifuge Plant Project Funding USEC needs significant additional financing in order to complete the American Centrifuge Plant ("ACP"). USEC believes a loan guarantee under the DOE Loan Guarantee Program, which was established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, is essential to obtaining the funding needed to complete the ACP. In July 2008, USEC applied under the DOE Loan Guarantee Program for $2 billion in U.S. government guaranteed debt financing for the ACP. As discussed in Note 4, instead of moving forward with a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee, in the fall of 2011, DOE proposed a two-year RD&D program for the project. DOE indicated that USEC's application for a DOE loan guarantee would remain pending during the RD&D program but has given USEC no assurance that a successful RD&D program will result in a loan guarantee. Additional capital beyond the $2 billion of DOE loan guarantee funding that USEC has applied for and USEC's internally generated cash flow will be required to complete the project. USEC has had discussions with Japanese export credit agencies regarding financing up to $1 billion of the cost of completing the ACP. Additional capital will also be needed and the amount of additional capital is dependent on a number of factors, including the amount of any revised cost estimate and schedule for the project, the amount of contingency or other capital DOE may require as part of a loan guarantee, and the amount of the DOE credit subsidy cost that would be required to be paid in connection with a loan guarantee. USEC has no assurances that it will be successful in obtaining this financing and that the delays the Company has experienced will not adversely affect these efforts. If conditions change and deployment of the ACP becomes no longer probable or becomes delayed significantly from USEC's current expectations, USEC could expense up to the full amount of previously capitalized costs related to the ACP of up to $1.1 billion. Events that could impact USEC's views as to the probability of deployment or USEC's projections include progress in meeting the technical milestones of the RD&D program, the status of continued DOE funding for the RD&D program, changes in USEC's anticipated ownership of or role in the project, changes in the cost estimate and schedule for the project, prospects for sale and pricing of output from the project, and prospects for obtaining a loan guarantee and other financing needed to deploy the project. USEC began funding the RD&D program in January 2012 and has been building machines and parts for the demonstration cascade. On June 12, 2012, USEC and DOE entered into a cooperative agreement to provide cost-share funding for the RD&D program. The cooperative agreement provides for 80% DOE and 20% USEC cost sharing for work performed during the period June 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013 with a total estimated cost of $350 million. DOE's total contribution would be up to $280 million and USEC's contribution would be up to $70 million. USEC's 20% contribution will include investments made by USEC commencing June 1, 2012. DOE's contribution will be incrementally funded. The June cooperative agreement provided initial DOE funding of $87.7 million and, on September 30, 2012, Congress passed and the president signed a six-month spending measure that contains additional funding for continued work on the RD&D program at an annual rate for operations of $100 million, which USEC expects to result in $45.72 million of additional funding for the program in the six-month period ending March 31, 2013. The remaining funding from DOE has not yet been authorized and is subject to Congressional appropriations, Congressional transfer or reprogramming authority to permit the use by DOE of funds previously appropriated for other programs, or other sources available to DOE. USEC will continue working with Congress and the administration to fully fund the RD&D program through December 2013, but there is no assurance that this additional funding will be made available. DOE provided the initial $87.7 million of funding by accepting title to quantities of depleted uranium that will enable USEC to release encumbered funds for approximately 80% of the allowable costs of the RD&D program up to $87.7 million. As described in Note 5, USEC receives the cash when the surety bonds and related cash deposits providing the financial assurance for disposition of this depleted uranium are reduced. The cooperative agreement also includes five technical milestones for the RD&D program. USEC has achieved both the first technical milestone related to the finalization of a test program plan and the second technical milestone related to the accumulation of 20 machine years of AC100 centrifuge operation at target speed. The remaining three milestones have a milestone date of December 31, 2013, tied to the completion of the RD&D program. DOE has the right to terminate the cooperative agreement if any of the remaining technical milestones are not met on or before December 31, 2013. DOE also has the right to terminate the cooperative agreement if USEC materially fails to comply with the other terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement. Failure to meet the technical milestones under the cooperative agreement could provide a basis for DOE to exercise its remedies under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement (as defined below). In addition, the cooperative agreement contains five non-binding performance indicators that are designed to be achieved throughout the RD&D program and ensure that the RD&D program is on track to achieve the remaining three milestones and other program objectives. As of September 30, 2012, USEC had manufactured a sufficient number of AC100 centrifuge machines and attained sufficient centrifuge machine run time to meet two of the performance indicator goals. Although the performance indicators are non-binding, the failure to achieve a performance indicator could cause DOE to take actions that are adverse to USEC. Milestones under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement On June 12, 2012, USEC and DOE entered into an amendment to the agreement dated June 17, 2002 between DOE and USEC (such agreement, as amended, the "2002 DOE-USEC Agreement"). Under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement, USEC and DOE made long-term commitments directed at resolving issues related to the stability and security of the domestic uranium enrichment industry. The agreement provides that USEC will develop, demonstrate and deploy advanced enrichment technology in accordance with milestones and provides for remedies in the event of a failure to meet a milestone under certain circumstances. The June 2012 amendment adds two new milestones related to the RD&D program and revises the remaining four milestones under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement relating to the financing and operation of the American Centrifuge Plant to be aligned with the RD&D program. In the June 2012 amendment, USEC also granted to DOE an irrevocable, non-exclusive right to use or permit third parties on behalf of DOE to use all centrifuge technology intellectual property ("Centrifuge IP") royalty free for U.S. government purposes (which includes completion of the cascade demonstration test program and national defense purposes, including providing nuclear material to operate commercial nuclear power reactors for tritium production). USEC also granted an irrevocable, non-exclusive license to DOE to use such Centrifuge IP developed at USEC's expense for commercial purposes (including a right to sublicense), which may be exercised only if USEC misses any of the milestones under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement or if USEC (or an affiliate or entity acting through USEC) is no longer willing or able to proceed with, or has determined to abandon or has constructively abandoned, the commercial deployment of the centrifuge technology. Such commercial purposes licenses are subject to payment of an agreed upon royalty rate to USEC, which shall not exceed $665 million in the aggregate. The 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement provides DOE with specific remedies if USEC fails to meet a milestone that would materially impact USEC's ability to begin commercial operations of the American Centrifuge Plant on schedule and such delay was within USEC's control or was due to USEC's fault or negligence. These remedies could include terminating the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement, revoking USEC's access to DOE's U.S. centrifuge technology that USEC requires for the success of the American Centrifuge project and requiring USEC to transfer certain of its rights in the American Centrifuge technology and facilities to DOE, and to reimburse DOE for certain costs associated with the American Centrifuge project. Any of these remedies under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement could have a material adverse impact on USEC's business. The 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement provides that if a delaying event beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of USEC occurs which would affect USEC's ability to meet an ACP milestone, DOE and USEC will jointly meet to discuss in good faith possible adjustments to the milestones as appropriate to accommodate the delaying event. USEC's right to continue operating the Paducah GDP under its lease with DOE is not subject to meeting the ACP milestones. In addition, the new 10-year commercial supply agreement entered into on March 23, 2011 with TENEX is not subject to any of the remedies related to the ACP under the 2002 DOE-USEC Agreement. NYSE Listing Notice On May 8, 2012, USEC received notice from the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") that the average closing price of its common stock was below the NYSE's continued listing criteria relating to minimum share price. Rule 802.01C of the NYSE's Listed Company Manual requires that a company's common stock trade at a minimum average closing price of $1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. In accordance with the NYSE's rules, on May 14, 2012, USEC provided written notice to the NYSE of its intent to cure this deficiency, including, if necessary through a reverse stock split. USEC had six months from receipt of the notice to regain compliance with the NYSE's price criteria or by no later than USEC's next annual meeting of shareholders if shareholder approval is required as is the case with a reverse stock split. USEC does not expect to cure the price deficiency prior to November 8, 2012 and so intends to seek shareholder approval for a reverse stock split at its next annual meeting of shareholders. If USEC's shareholders approve the reverse stock split and USEC effectuates the reverse stock split to cure the condition, the condition will be deemed cured if USEC's closing share price promptly exceeds $1.00 per share, and the price remains above the level for at least the following 30 trading days. Subject to the NYSE's rules, during the cure period, USEC's common stock will continue to be listed and trade on the NYSE, subject to its continued compliance with the NYSE's other applicable listing rules. USEC is currently in compliance with all other NYSE listing rules. Potential ERISA Section 4062(e) Liability USEC is currently in discussions with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ("PBGC") regarding the impact of USEC's de-lease of the Portsmouth gaseous diffusion facilities and related transition of employees performing government services work to DOE's new decontamination and decommissioning ("D&D") contractor on September 30, 2011. USEC notified the PBGC of this occurrence and the PBGC has informally advised USEC of its preliminary view that the Portsmouth site transition is a cessation of operations that triggers liability under ERISA Section 4062(e) and that its preliminary estimate is that the ERISA Section 4062(e) liability (computed taking into account the plan's underfunding on a termination basis, which amount differs from that computed for GAAP purposes) for the Portsmouth site transition could exceed $100 million. USEC has informed the PBGC that it does not agree that the Portsmouth de-lease and transition of employees constituted a cessation of operations that triggered liability under ERISA Section 4062(e). USEC also disputes the amount of the PBGC's preliminary calculation of the potential ERISA Section 4062(e) liability. In addition, USEC believes that DOE is responsible for a significant portion of any pension costs associated with the transition of employees at Portsmouth. However, USEC has not reached a resolution with the PBGC and USEC has no assurance that the PBGC will agree with it or will not pursue a requirement for it to accelerate funding or take other actions to provide security. USEC could also face a potential significantly greater liability related to a future decision to discontinue activities at Paducah. Legal Matters USEC is subject to various legal proceedings and claims, either asserted or unasserted, which arise in the ordinary course of business. While the outcome of these claims cannot be predicted with certainty, USEC does not believe that the outcome of any of these legal matters will have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. On June 27, 2011, a complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, against USEC by a former Portsmouth GDP employee claiming that USEC owes severance benefits to him and other similarly situated employees that have transitioned or will transition to the DOE decontamination and decommissioning ("D&D") contractor. The plaintiff amended its complaint on August 31, 2011 and February 10, 2012, among other things, to limit the purported class of similarly situated employees to salaried employees at the Portsmouth site who transitioned to the D&D contractor and are allegedly eligible for or owed benefits. On October 11, 2012, the United States District Court granted USEC's motion to dismiss the complaint and dismissed Plaintiffs' motion for class certification as moot. The plaintiff has 30 days to appeal. USEC has not accrued any amounts for this matter.

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration