USEC Adopts Tax Benefit Preservation Plan

USEC Inc. (NYSE:USU) announced today that its board of directors has
adopted a tax benefit preservation plan to help preserve the value of
certain deferred tax benefits, including those generated by net
operating losses and net unrealized built-in losses.

USEC′s ability to use these tax benefits would be substantially limited
if it were to experience an 'ownership change? as defined under Section
382 of the Internal Revenue Code. In general, an ownership change would
occur if there is a greater than 50-percentage point change in ownership
of securities by stockholders owning (or deemed to own under Section
382) 5 percent or more of a corporation′s securities over a rolling
three-year period. The tax benefit preservation plan reduces the
likelihood that changes in USEC′s investor base would have the
unintended effect of limiting USEC′s future use of its tax benefits.

'We are adopting a tax benefit preservation plan that is similar to
plans adopted by many other companies with valuable tax assets. The plan
is designed to preserve these assets,? said John Welch, USEC president
and chief executive officer. 'The company already has valuable tax
assets, and the adoption of the plan is not being done in response to
any decision with respect to the American Centrifuge project.?

The company currently intends to submit the tax benefit preservation
plan to a binding stockholder vote at the company′s next annual meeting.

In connection with the tax plan, the board of directors has declared a
dividend of one preferred stock purchase right for each of its common
shares and one thousand preferred stock purchase rights for each of its
Series C preferred shares outstanding at the close of business on
October 10, 2011. There are not currently any Series C Preferred shares
outstanding. Any shares of USEC′s common stock or common stock
equivalents issued after this date will also receive preferred stock
purchase rights.

Upon taking effect immediately today, the plan, subject to limited
exceptions, provides that any stockholder or group that acquires
beneficial ownership of 4.9 percent or more of USEC′s securities without
the approval of the board of directors would be subject to significant
dilution of its holdings. In addition, subject to limited exceptions,
any existing 4.9 percent or greater stockholder that acquires beneficial
ownership of any additional shares of USEC′s securities without the
approval of the board of directors would also be subject to dilution. In
both cases, such person would be deemed to be an 'acquiring person? for
purposes of the tax plan. The dilution features of the tax plan are
designed to reduce the likelihood that USEC experiences an ownership
change by discouraging acquisitions that would impact the ownership
change analysis for purposes of Section 382.

The preferred stock purchase rights are not currently exercisable and
initially will trade only with USEC′s common stock and common stock
equivalents. However, if a person becomes an acquiring person, then,
subject to certain exceptions, the preferred stock purchase rights would
separate from the common stock and common stock equivalents and become
exercisable for USEC′s common stock or other securities or assets having
a market value equal to twice the exercise price of the right.

The board of directors has established procedures to consider requests
to exempt certain acquisitions of the company′s securities from the plan
if the board determines that doing so would not limit or impair the
availability of the tax benefits or is otherwise in the best interests
of the company.

The rights expire on September 29, 2014, or earlier if (i) the board
determines the tax plan is no longer needed to preserve the tax benefits
because of legislative changes or (ii) the board determines that the tax
benefits have been fully used or are no longer available under Section
382 or that an ownership change would not materially impair or limit the
tax benefits. The rights may also be redeemed, exchanged or terminated
prior to their expiration.

Issuance of the rights does not in any way affect the finances of the
company or impact its operations. The dividend does not change the
manner in which the company′s shares may be traded. Additional
information regarding the tax plan will be filed today with the SEC and
will be accessible via the EDGAR database on the SEC′s website at www.sec.gov.

USEC Inc., a global energy company, is a leading supplier of enriched
uranium fuel and nuclear industry related services for commercial
nuclear power plants.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that
involve risks and uncertainty. Economic, business, market, regulatory,
technology and other factors could cause our actual future results to
differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking
statements. More information about these factors is contained in our
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our
annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, which are
available on our website www.usec.com.
We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements except as
required by law.

USEC Inc.

Media:

Paul Jacobson, 301-564-3399

or

Investors:

Steven
Wingfield, 301-564-3354