NetZero Nuclear | Nuclear stewardship and Net Zero: Urenco’s Tails Management Facility

CASE STUDIES > Nuclear stewardship and Net Zero: Urenco’s Tails Management Facility

Nuclear stewardship and Net Zero: Urenco’s Tails Management Facility

The Tails Management Facility (Image: Urenco)

If nuclear is to play an important part in the Net Zero transition for years to come, delivering more carbon free energy to the world in a mix including renewables, then it goes without saying that the nuclear fuel cycle is going to be a vital component.

Uranium enrichment is a key part of the cycle, and is something Urenco is poised to do more of as it ramps up production across its four sites as part of its expansion programme, known as its capacity programme.

But with more enrichment also comes more responsibility with regards to nuclear stewardship, and is something the company takes seriously.

Managing the by-product of the enrichment process, known as tails, is a sustainable practice, enabling depleted uranium to be used again or converted for safe storage and disposal.

Urenco’s Tails Management Facility (TMF) in Capenhurst, UK, which went live in 2021, is therefore a vital part of the company’s commitment to responsible uranium stewardship.

The TMF, operated by Urenco ChemPlants Ltd, manages the deconversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF6) – otherwise known as tails – to stable uranium oxide (U3O8). It comprises a number of associated storage, maintenance and residue processing facilities to support Urenco’s long-term strategy for the management of tails.

Whilst the TMF’s original two kilns went live in recent years, the combination of the climate crisis and energy security concerns in the light of the Ukraine conflict has resulted in a greater demand for nuclear energy, and therefore Urenco’s enrichment services.

So now Urenco is seeking to expand the TMF to make it capable of processing greater volumes of tails – in turn supporting energy security worldwide – a major project for which it has contracted engineering and construction company, Bechtel.

This will see Bechtel providing the front end engineering design (FEED) to support Urenco to expand the TMF, which will result in two additional kilns to process tails.

Around €1 billion was invested in the construction of the original TMF – a high quality, long-term facility, providing a service for Urenco’s customers and the wider nuclear industry.

To deliver a Net Zero world, responsible nuclear stewardship must be strengthened as nuclear will play a pivotal role.

Nick Sands

Director of Chemical Process Operations, Urenco ChemPlants Ltd

Interview

Nick Sands,
Director of Chemical Process Operations, Urenco ChemPlants Ltd

Why is managing tails and thus expanding facilities like your TMF so important in the context of Net Zero?

Video interview with Nick Sands, Director of Chemical Process Operations, Urenco ChemPlants Ltd

To deliver a Net Zero world, responsible nuclear stewardship must be strengthened as nuclear will play a pivotal role.

Spent fuel and discussions on ‘nuclear waste’ are issues that continue to be highlighted by nuclear sceptics and critics. If we are putting ourselves forward as a Net Zero solution and green energy source with the best ESG standards with good stewardship of uranic material, it is vital that we demonstrate our ability and commitment to responsibly managing and disposing of nuclear materials.

Within Urenco’s part of the nuclear fuel cycle, we need to plan for the extra depleted uranium, which we refer to as tails.

So we have made the commitment for further investment in our tails management facility to incorporate a further two kilns.

The construction of the original TMF was completed in 2019, commissioning took place in the interim, and uranium oxide production officially started in 2021. What lessons have you learnt from the original TMF that will support an expanded TMF, whether in construction or overall function or both?

As a team, we gained significant experience during construction, and commissioning, and continued that learning through operating the TMF facility. We have a better understanding of how the plant operates in reality, enabling us to improve safe and efficient operations in line with our business plan. We have a Continuous Improvement Programme and every time we operate the current plant, whether the process is routine or being completed for the first time, we analyse the process and feed the findings back into the programme. This allows the team, if applicable, to refine our operating and maintenance procedures.

With the project to expand the TMF on the horizon, there is increasing collaboration between our operational team for the existing Kilns 1 and 2 and the team working on the design of Kilns 3 and 4 providing feedback on any improvement opportunities to ensure the project has a successful outcome.

Currently, this covers areas in construction, commissioning and operations. To complete the expansion of TMF with Kilns 3 and 4, whilst still maintaining production on Kilns 1 and 2, we will require close collaboration between the project and plant teams.

When do you see the TMF expansion starting and ending construction? How will it improve the volume of tails you can process?

The project has already started, and with Bechtel on board providing us with the necessary resources and expertise to build two new kilns, we expect it to take approximately seven years. Put simply, we will expect to double the amount of tails we can process.

Can you outline Urenco's broader Net Zero goals relating to your own emissions/those of your suppliers and any progress you have made so far or plans for the future?

A top priority of ours is to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030 within our direct operations; and by 2040 within our wider supply chain.

We are turning ambition into action in three ways: In industry: by providing leadership alongside others so we can strive to reach Net Zero together. Our TMF is an example of that, a sustainable practice which is key to supporting the overall Net Zero journey.

In plant, by having a clear pathway to reducing our scope 1 and 2 emissions at all four enrichment sites.

And in the community by taking a wider view on how we connect with our neighbours to positively impact them.

Let’s take Plant in this instance; opportunities to reduce our scope 1 emissions include looking to introduce alternative refrigerants and eliminate hydrocarbon based systems reliant on natural gas, propane and diesel. For example, at Almelo in the Netherlands, the optimisation of a building humidification system has reduced the consumption of natural gas which will reduce carbon emissions by around 170 tCO2e per year. Also, replacement of hot air blowers that form part of the plant process for more efficient designs will lead to a further 300 tCO2e reduction per year.

A major focus for Urenco will be to further implement our plans to reduce scope emissions and boost our sustainable electricity supply. We are switching all sites to a supply of low carbon electricity by 2030.

We have built two solar panel installations in the Netherlands, capable of reducing the site’s peak electricity demands by up to 15%. We are planning for solar installations at our three other sites, with even greater capacities for energy saving. In the UK, around 60% of peak demand at the site is to be generated through on-site solar. In Germany, this will be 50%.

Concerning wider industry, through our ongoing partnership with EcoVadis; a world leader in sustainability ratings for business, we have so far engaged with 360 of our wider supply chain to drive down our scope 3 emissions to Net Zero by 2040. This includes our highest emitting ones and we are continuing to engage with more.

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Why is managing tails and thus expanding facilities like your TMF so important in the context of Net Zero?

The construction of the original TMF was completed in 2019, commissioning took place in the interim, and uranium oxide production officially started in 2021. What lessons have you learnt from the original TMF that will support an expanded TMF, whether in construction or overall function or both?

When do you see the TMF expansion starting and ending construction? How will it improve the volume of tails you can process?

Can you outline Urenco&#39;s broader Net Zero goals relating to your own emissions/those of your suppliers and any progress you have made so far or plans for the future?

Can you outline Urenco's broader Net Zero goals relating to your own emissions/those of your suppliers and any progress you have made so far or plans for the future?