Expansion of Urenco's Dutch enrichment plant under way

Monday, 10 February 2025

Urenco announced plans in December 2023 to increase capacity at its Almelo plant by 15% in response to new commitments from customers. The project will see multiple new centrifuge cascades at the site, adding about 750 tonnes of SWU per year. The first new cascades are scheduled to come online around 2027.

A ceremony was held on 25 March last year to mark the start of work on the capacity expansion at Almelo.

Urenco and BAM Bouw en Techniek signed the implementation agreement for the construction of Hall 8 on 10 July 2024. BAM has now upgraded the engineering from basic design to a detailed design and has set up the construction site for the upcoming construction work.

BAM started the realisation phase of the project by driving the first foundation pile on 7 January. The work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.

With a length of about 200 metres and a width of 30 metres, Hall 8 will comprise a complex structure with high demands on precision and safety. It will be built according to the "box-in-box" principle, with a conditioned interior to ensure optimum process conditions, BAM Bouw en Techniek noted. A high-quality floor finish with minimal tolerances is essential for the installation of the process installations. In addition to the production hall, a building for cooling equipment will also be constructed.

"This project is a great continuation of our long-term collaboration with Urenco, with more than 25 years of experience in maintenance and projects for both BAM Bouw en Techniek and BAM Infra NL," said BAM Bouw en Techniek Director Eric Moleman. "The last production hall for Urenco was delivered by us 12 years ago. We apply and optimise these strong partnerships, experience and knowledge that we have acquired where necessary in the realisation of the new production hall."

This is the third major investment to be approved under Urenco's capacity programme to strengthen the nuclear fuel supply chain worldwide. In 2023, Urenco approved its first expansion project at its plant in Eunice, New Mexico, providing an additional capacity of 700 tonnes of SWU per year. The first new cascades are due online this year. The plant currently has a production capacity of 4600 tSWU per year.

At its site in Gronau, Germany, the company is re-fitting an existing space with more modern centrifuge technology which will enhance the capacity of the plant.

In addition to the Almelo, Eunice and Gronau plant, Urenco also operates an enrichment facility at Capenhurst in the UK.