Urenco

Beschreibung

Urenco is a key player in the nuclear fuel supply chain, providing a range of products and services centered around uranium enrichment. Here’s an overview of the main products, services, and technologies:

Enrichment Services

Urenco’s primary service is uranium enrichment, which is essential for producing fuel for nuclear power plants. The advanced gas centrifuge technology is used to enrich uranium, increasing the concentration of the U-235 isotope to the levels required for nuclear reactors. This process is more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly compared to older methods like gaseous diffusion.

Fuel Cycle Products

In addition to enrichment services, Urenco has a variety of fuel cycle products at each site. These include:

• Natural Uranium: Supplied by customers and enriched by Urenco.
• Enriched Uranium Product (EUP): The final product used in nuclear reactors.
• Depleted Uranium: A by-product of the enrichment process, which can be stored for future use or further processed.

Tails Management

Urenco operates a Tails Management Facility (TMF) in the UK, which processes the by-product of enrichment (depleted uranium hexafluoride) into a more stable form for long-term storage or disposal. This facility underscores Urenco’s commitment to responsible nuclear stewardship. More information can be found on their TMF page.

Urenco Isotopes

Leveraging their expertise in centrifuge technology, Urenco enriches or depletes isotopes for various applications in medicine, industry, and research. These isotopes are used for medical diagnostics and treatment, industrial processes, and scientific research. Today, Urenco supplies isotopes that support the equivalent of two million patient treatments every year. Another example sees Urenco making isotopes for semiconductors and quantum computing.

Nuclear Stewardship

Urenco Nuclear Stewardship (UNS) has been in operation since 2012 and has a leading role in providing responsible stewardship of nuclear materials through waste management, long term storage and decommissioning services for the industry.

It also has a new waste handling facility and strong technical expertise in waste strategy, characterisation, packaging and transport.

Research and Development

Urenco invests significantly in R&D to enhance their enrichment technology and develop new applications for their products. The Technology and Development function is based primarily in Germany, and- focuses on improving the efficiency and performance of centrifuges. This continuous innovation helps Urenco maintain its competitive edge in the nuclear industry.

Global Operations

Urenco is the only company to operate four enrichment facilities in four countries, offering diversity and security of supply through its sites in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the USA. Each facility plays a crucial role in meeting the global demand for enriched uranium:

• Germany (Gronau): Production capacity of 3,600 tSW/a.
• Netherlands (Almelo): Production capacity of 5,100 tSW/a.
• UK (Capenhurst): Production capacity of 4,500 tSW/a.
• USA (Eunice, New Mexico): Production capacity of 4,400 tSW/a.

Sustainability Initiatives

Sustainability is integral to Urenco’s operations. Their goal is to achieve net-zero emissions overall by 2040, whilst reaching an absolute reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions (operational emissions) by 2030.
Sustainability goes beyond net zero and a crucial part of Urenco’s programme is the role it plays in being a good corporate citizen in its locations through a wide ranging social impact programme.
The company also has a strong focus on governance and ethics – complying with regulatory frameworks, preserving the security of the civil nuclear industry, operating in an open and accountable manner and ensuring Urenco remains a trustworthy and valuable contributor to society.

Urenco’s comprehensive suite of products and services, combined with their commitment to innovation and sustainability, positions them as a leader in the nuclear industry. For further details visit their official website.