Projects secure power for fuel cycle operators

Monday, 21 August 2023

Orano Mining Namibia has announced the start of construction on a 5 MW solar plant that will supply part of the power required for the Erongo Desalination Plant (EDP). Groundworks are underway for the plant, which is being built at Trekkopje under a ten-year power purchase agreement with InnoSun Energy Holdings signed in June 2022.

"Construction has now commenced and the plant is expected to be operational toward the end of 2024. Currently, site fencing, earthworks, trenching, and foundations for the switching and metering substation building is well underway," the company said on the X (formerly Twitter) social media platform.

"This will enable Orano to make the provision of water to the Erongo Region from a green electricity source more affordable in the long term, and contribute greatly to efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the EDP."

The EDP was built to supply potable water to the Trekkopje mine, which has been mothballed since 2012.

Uranenergo is investing in energy and communications infrastructure in Turkenistan (Image: Uranenergo)

Kazatomprom subsidiary Uranenergo LLP is implementing an investment programme approved by the regional and national government which aims to ensure the reliability and sustainability of energy supply to uranium mines and Taukent and Kyzymshek settlements in Turkestan, reducing the time taken for repair and restoration work, as well as reducing technical losses in the company's networks.

As part of 2023's investment programme, Uranenergo plans to build a fibre-optic communication line between two substations, as well as upgrading high-frequency communication channels, Uranenergo General Director Timur Tastanbekov said. A 125 kW photovoltaic plant is expected to be commissioned this year, he added. The investment programme "will ensure the energy security of the mining enterprises of Kazatomprom and Taukent and Kyzymshek settlements as well," the company said.

UUSA has broken ground for a new solar array in New Mexico (Image: UUSA)

Urenco USA (UUSA) has also broken ground on a 0.5 MW solar array, which will offset its electric usage. "As a company we are committed to Net Zero by 2040 through the significant contribution to the production of carbon free energy as a key part of the nuclear fuel cycle and through the reduction of our own carbon emissions as well as those within our value chain," UUSA President & CEO Karen Fili said.

The company, which operates a uranium enrichment plant at Eunice, New Mexico, has also been adding electric vehicles (EV) to its fleet and replacing industrial vehicles with electric models. It has made EV charging stations available onsite for employee use and plans to add more to support the new fleet vehicles.

“This is an exciting day because this will be the first of many milestone events that we will have at UUSA,” continued Fili. Along with the strategic initiative of Net Zero, UUSA is also moving forward on capacity expansion and advanced fuels projects.