Media: UK to build Europe’s first facility to produce new generation nuclear fuel
The UK will invest about $250m in the construction of Europe’s first facility for the production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), a fuel that the government says will be needed for the next generation of nuclear energy projects, Reuters reports
The UK aims to increase its nuclear power capacity to 24 Gigawatts by 2050, hoping to build new advanced reactors that may need HALEU fuel.
“As we see more advanced modular reactors coming onstream, HALEU will be the fuel that will be required so having more of that technology in the UK will mean we are able to supply them from a domestic source,” UK Minister for Nuclear and Renewables Andrew Bowie said.
The UK has allocated £196m to Urenco for the construction of an enterprise in Cheshire (North-West England), which will provide about 400 jobs. It will be ready to produce fuel by 2031 in order to use it domestically or export it, Britain’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said in a statement.
