Costain wins design contract for Urenco HALEU facility

Costain said that it expects to complete the front-end engineering design (FEED) - which will inform Urenco's plans for its new advanced fuel enrichment technologies facility - in 2027.

The UK government last May awarded GBP196 million (USD245 million) to Urenco to build a uranium enrichment facility with the capacity to produce up to 10 tonnes of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) per year by 2031.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said the new facility at Urenco's Capenhurst site in northwest England, would support around 400 jobs and "put an end to Russia's reign as the only commercial producer" of HALEU fuel in Europe.

HALEU - uranium enriched to between 5% and 20% uranium-235 - will be used in the advanced nuclear fuel required for most of the next-generation reactor designs currently under development. At present, only Russia and China have the infrastructure to produce HALEU at scale. The first advanced reactors are scheduled to be operational in the early 2030s.

Sam White, managing director, natural resources at Costain, said: "This incredibly exciting project will establish the UK as the first country in Europe to launch a high-tech advanced nuclear fuels programme, confirming its status as a world leader in the civil nuclear energy market.

"Ensuring the UK’s supply of advanced nuclear fuel will be critical for powering the next generation of reactors, including advanced modular reactors (AMRs) and small modular reactors (SMRs). These are nuclear technologies that will play an important role as low-carbon sources of electricity to support a secure, resilient and decarbonised energy system in the UK.

"Our expert engineers will work collaboratively with Urenco and the wider supply chain to design a state-of-the-art fuel facility. Constructability will be at the heart of the designs to make this concept a reality."

In March Urenco chose Costain as programme delivery partner for new and upgraded infrastructure at Capenhurst. The framework is expected to see contracts awarded to Costain over a minimum of three years. Costain will lead and deliver an integrated programme of Urenco's infrastructure investment activities, including developing the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of works and upgrades at Capenhurst.

Urenco is one third owned by the UK government, one third by the Dutch government and one third by two German utilities, EOn SE and RWE AG.