Urenco announces major Netherlands expansion to strengthen energy security  

Urenco has approved an investment to expand enrichment capacity at its site in the Netherlands. 

The project will see multiple new centrifuge cascades added to an existing plant in Almelo and this is the third major investment to be approved under Urenco’s capacity programme to strengthen the nuclear fuel supply chain worldwide.  

The capacity programme is a long term plan to meet increasing customer demand as more countries and utility companies turn to nuclear for the first time, or seek to extend and/or diversify fuel supplies for existing nuclear operations.

This expansion will provide an additional capacity of around 750 tonnes of SWU per year, a 15 per cent increase at Urenco Nederland (known as UNL), with the first new cascades coming online around 2027. 

Urenco had already approved its first expansion project at its US site in New Mexico, earlier this year, providing an additional capacity of 700 tonnes of SWU per year. At our site in Gronau, Germany, we are re-fitting an existing space with more modern centrifuge technology which will enhance the capacity of the plant.

New commitments from customers underpin the latest investment.

CEO Boris Schucht said: “Urenco is committed to the clean energy transition and supporting customers with their energy security needs.

“Our latest expansion is our largest so far, coming as a result of the growing momentum behind nuclear energy which was further evident at the recent COP28 in Dubai where both a ministerial and industrial commitment were signed by governments and companies. 

“We take the needs of the market incredibly seriously and will announce further investment decisions where required across our enrichment sites.”

Share Article