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Released May 14, 2024 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The U.K. wants to be the first country in Europe to build an advanced nuclear fuel plant to produce the kind of fuel needed for the next generation of nuclear power reactors.
The government has awarded £196 million (US$245 million) to Urenco (Stoke Poges, England) to kickstart the process of building a plant to produce high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The company will build the facility at an existing site in Capenhurst in Cheshire, northwest England. Around 400 people will be employed when the plant is commissioned in 2031. According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the fuel will be used domestically or exported and help "to isolate Russia from global energy markets."
While most existing reactors run on uranium fuel enriched up to 5% uranium-235 (U-235), HALEU fuel is typically uranium enriched to greater than 5% and less than 20% of the U-235 isotope. It will be needed for most advanced reactor fuels and for three-quarters of the small modular reactors (SMRs) under development today, according to the World Nuclear Association. More highly enriched uranium requires more energy to produce, but allows for longer operating cycles, smaller reactors, and reduced production of radioactive waste. Today, only Russia and China have the infrastructure to produce HALEU at scale. Currently, Russia supplies approximately 44% of global uranium enrichment services and 20-30% of enriched uranium products used in the U.S. and Europe, according to official U.S. figures. Both the U.S and U.K. government recently announced their cooperation on changing this.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "Building our own uranium enrichment plant is essential if we want to prise Putin's blood-soaked hands off Europe's energy market. Russia has been the sole provider of this powerful nuclear fuel for too long and this marks the latest step in pushing him out of the energy market entirely. The wider future of British nuclear remains a critical national endeavor--guaranteeing nuclear and energy security, and reducing energy bills for Brits."
Boris Schucht, chief executive officer at Urenco, said: "The responsibility the nuclear industry has to help governments and customers to achieve climate change and energy security goals is clear. We welcome this government investment, which will help accelerate the development of a civil HALEU commercial market and in-turn the development of the next generation of nuclear power plants. These plants will have even higher safety standards and lend themselves to quicker licensing and construction processes. Urenco has the knowledge and experience to play a leading role in the production of HALEU and other advanced fuels, operating securely under inter-governmental treaties to ensure the peaceful use and safeguarding of nuclear technology."
Last year, the U.K, along with France, the U.S., Japan and Canada formed a group known as the "Sapporo 5" to establish a secure and resilient global nuclear fuel supply chain to help support the growth of nuclear energy deployment around the world "free of Russian influence." At the time, they pledged US$4.2 billion to the cause. In recent weeks, the U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy stated: "We are pleased to note we have already exceeded this pledge. In support of this commitment, the French have mobilized US$1.8 billion, the United Kingdom has pledged approximately US$383 million, and the U.S. Congress has made available US$2.72 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development package. The combined funding already exceeding the pledge made late last year."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The government has awarded £196 million (US$245 million) to Urenco (Stoke Poges, England) to kickstart the process of building a plant to produce high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The company will build the facility at an existing site in Capenhurst in Cheshire, northwest England. Around 400 people will be employed when the plant is commissioned in 2031. According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the fuel will be used domestically or exported and help "to isolate Russia from global energy markets."
While most existing reactors run on uranium fuel enriched up to 5% uranium-235 (U-235), HALEU fuel is typically uranium enriched to greater than 5% and less than 20% of the U-235 isotope. It will be needed for most advanced reactor fuels and for three-quarters of the small modular reactors (SMRs) under development today, according to the World Nuclear Association. More highly enriched uranium requires more energy to produce, but allows for longer operating cycles, smaller reactors, and reduced production of radioactive waste. Today, only Russia and China have the infrastructure to produce HALEU at scale. Currently, Russia supplies approximately 44% of global uranium enrichment services and 20-30% of enriched uranium products used in the U.S. and Europe, according to official U.S. figures. Both the U.S and U.K. government recently announced their cooperation on changing this.
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "Building our own uranium enrichment plant is essential if we want to prise Putin's blood-soaked hands off Europe's energy market. Russia has been the sole provider of this powerful nuclear fuel for too long and this marks the latest step in pushing him out of the energy market entirely. The wider future of British nuclear remains a critical national endeavor--guaranteeing nuclear and energy security, and reducing energy bills for Brits."
Boris Schucht, chief executive officer at Urenco, said: "The responsibility the nuclear industry has to help governments and customers to achieve climate change and energy security goals is clear. We welcome this government investment, which will help accelerate the development of a civil HALEU commercial market and in-turn the development of the next generation of nuclear power plants. These plants will have even higher safety standards and lend themselves to quicker licensing and construction processes. Urenco has the knowledge and experience to play a leading role in the production of HALEU and other advanced fuels, operating securely under inter-governmental treaties to ensure the peaceful use and safeguarding of nuclear technology."
Last year, the U.K, along with France, the U.S., Japan and Canada formed a group known as the "Sapporo 5" to establish a secure and resilient global nuclear fuel supply chain to help support the growth of nuclear energy deployment around the world "free of Russian influence." At the time, they pledged US$4.2 billion to the cause. In recent weeks, the U.S. Office of Nuclear Energy stated: "We are pleased to note we have already exceeded this pledge. In support of this commitment, the French have mobilized US$1.8 billion, the United Kingdom has pledged approximately US$383 million, and the U.S. Congress has made available US$2.72 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development package. The combined funding already exceeding the pledge made late last year."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
