Urenco moves forward with metal recycling facility
18 August 2021
Uranium enrichment services provider Urenco has approved the progression of the Urenco Metals Recycling (UMR) facility project based at its Urenco Nuclear Stewardship subsidiary in Capenhurst, UK. The project will now move into the design phase. The facility, planned to begin operation in 2024, will provide a wide range of metallic treatment services for recycling and disposal.
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The Capenhurst site near Chester, England (Image: Urenco)
The UMR facility will provide services including size reduction, surface decontamination and metal melting for a range of metal types. Urenco said the facility will serve the needs of the nuclear industry by bringing services to UK sites that can currently only be accessed overseas.
In May 2020, Urenco Nuclear Stewardship secured a contract with LLW Repository Ltd (LLWR) to manage, treat and dispose of metallic waste from UK nuclear facilities over the next four years. The contract sees Urenco Nuclear Stewardship included in a framework, worth up to GBP65 million (USD90 million), under which it can compete to manage projects across the UK.
"This is a positive step in Urenco's journey to share our waste management expertise with the industry," said Urenco Nuclear Stewardship Managing Director Dave Nelligan. "In bringing the Urenco Metal Recycling facility to Capenhurst, we are creating a strategic asset that will support various decommissioning efforts.
"Furthermore, our expansion of our metallic treatment services undoubtedly strengthens our offer as service providers under the LLWR Metallic Waste Treatment Services framework, which Urenco Nuclear Stewardship was successfully included within last year."
Urenco Nuclear Stewardship is part of Urenco Technology & Development, established to manage and develop Urenco's technologies and processes associated with supporting its core business of enriching uranium whilst expanding its products and services as a supplier of energy and sustainable fuel cycle products. Established in 2012, Urenco Nuclear Stewardship's core expertise centres on waste management, decommissioning and long-term storage of nuclear materials. It both serves Urenco's requirements for these capabilities and utilises them to develop external business opportunities.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News