Costain selected to design nuclear fuels facility

Aerial shot of Urenco's Capenhurst site (Photo: Urenco Capenhurst)

The new facility will be located at Urenco’s Capenhurst site in Cheshire, UK and is intended to produce specialised fuel to support the development and deployment of the next generation of nuclear reactors.

Costain is expected to complete the FEED by 2027. The results of the FEED will guide Urenco’s plans for its new advanced fuel enrichment technologies and production facility. 

Earlier this year, Urenco chose Costain as the program delivery partner to implement new and upgraded infrastructure at the Capenhurst site over the next three years.

Sam White, managing director, natural resources at Costain, commented, “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 AMRs and 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.”