It's not often that seismic factors play a role in where a manufacturing plant is located, but that was the case with Bethesda, Md.-basedUSEC Inc.'s American Centrifuge uranium enrichment plant. The cities of Piketon, Ohio, and Paducah, Ky., were vying for rights to the plant. Ultimately, the decision to locate in Piketon, which is 63 miles south of Columbus, was based on several factors including scheduling—existing buildings and infrastructure in Piketon, specifically the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, enabled USEC to accelerate deployment of the American Centrifuge Commercial Plant; seismic factors—Paducah's proximity to seismic faults increased risks and costs; and financial perks—economic incentives by the state and local community sweetened the deal.
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