The Nuclear Industry Association has welcomed the Government’s announcement of a £13m Direct Award Grant to explore the development of uranium conversion at the Westinghouse Springfields facility in Lancashire (link).

In reaction to the announcement, Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said,

 “This investment is very good news for energy security and the UK’s global stewardship. Britain is uniquely placed to help its neighbours wean off Russian nuclear fuel, so it’s vital that we strengthen and safeguard our world-class nuclear fuel capability.

“Springfields has a dedicated workforce with an unrivalled expertise in uranium conversion, and it’s great to see the industry playing an important role in helping to cut dependence on Russian fuel. We look forward to seeing the progress made by Westinghouse.”

ENDS

 Notes to editors: 

  • Conversion is the process by which uranium is purified and converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF6) ahead of enrichment and fuel manufacture for reactors.
  • Conversion services have previously been undertaken at the Springfields site. Westinghouse says any new facility will need the necessary environmental and safety approvals as part of the pre-construction process. More information can be accessed here.
  • The Nuclear APPG released a report in October calling on the government to invest in UK nuclear fuel capability to help replace use of Russian fuel.
  • The UK has five generating nuclear power stations, providing around 16% of the country’s electricity from 5.9 GW of capacity.
  • Two stations will retire by March 2024, and all but one will retire by March 2028.
  • Nuclear has saved the UK 2.3 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, far more than any other source. The saving is equivalent to all UK emissions from 2015 through 2020.

About the Nuclear Industry Association
As the trade association for the civil nuclear industry in the UK, the Nuclear Industry Association represents more than 250 companies across the UK’s nuclear supply chain.

Links
Visit our website: www.niauk.org
Follow the NIA on Twitter @NIAUK and LinkedIn

For further information, please contact:
Iolo James
[email protected]
07517108023


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