Urenco's chief commercial officer Laurent Odeh joins us and outlines how the leading uranium enrichment company is expanding its operations in the US, the Netherlands and Germany to meet the growing demand for nuclear fuel. Demand which is coming from both existing units and also some of the growing numbers of advanced reactors in development.

He talks about the company's history and the experience it has gained, including the decisions it had to take during the 2010s and how they fit in with what is now a record order book for Urenco's services.

Odeh says that it is quicker to expand enrichment capacity than it is to build a new nuclear power plant, so is confident that enrichment services will be able to keep track with any rapid future nuclear energy capacity growth.

He also gives an update on Urenco's development of LEU+ and HALEU fuel capabilities, as well as talking about the medical isotopes business that Urenco is growing, plus the decommissioning side of its work.

And, in a wide-ranging discussion, Odeh says what he wants to see governments doing to help support the nuclear fuel cycle and wider nuclear energy growth in the years ahead.

Key links to find out more:

Urenco
Urenco to build new US enrichment plant capacity
World Nuclear News

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Episode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

The UK’s Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria in the North West of England has been operating for nearly seven decades, so probably for longer than any other such facility anywhere. During that time things have changed from a "tip and tumble" typical landfill disposal system, to today's approach with containerised waste and engineered vaults.

Nuclear Waste Services' Director of Sites and Operations, Mike Pigott, and Head of Waste Services Howard Falconer, explain the history of the site, how its operations have changed and its plans for the future - including an update on the prospects for a deep geological disposal facility.

The Low Level Waste Repository's role is to ensure that low-level waste generated in the UK is disposed of in a way that protects people and the environment. The repository site receives low-level solid waste from a range of customers, such as the nuclear industry, the Ministry of Defence, non-nuclear industries, educational, medical and research establishments. Legacy disposal trenches and vaults are now full and ready for permanent closure.

Pigott outlines progress on the capping of the original parts of the giant site, which aims to make what began as initially a temporary disposal facility, a permanent - and environmentally safe - place for the low level waste. Falconer outlines the sustainability steps taken to reduce the amount of low level radioactive waste. For instance, reusing material from decommissioning projects in new-build constructions. The result is that there are still many decades-worth of capacity at the site.

Key links to find out more:

World Nuclear News
Nuclear Waste Services
Capping of UK repository progresses

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Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

A decision is expected later this year by the Spanish government on whether to award a three-year reprieve to Almaraz nuclear power plant's units 1 and 2. They are currently scheduled to be shut down in 2027 as part of the country's 2019 nuclear phase-out policy.

In this episode we hear from Marta Ugalde, President of Spanish Nuclear Industry Forum, Foro Nuclear, about the current situation with nuclear energy in Spain, and what the future might hold for an industry which has a rich history stretching back more than 60 years in the country.

Ugalde says that the three-year operating extension would allow time for consideration of whether there should be a more fundamental change to the phase-out plan, noting that similar reactors in the US are now licensed to operate for 80 years. She also talks about what impact last year's blackout has had on the case for nuclear energy.

Spain's seven operating nuclear power reactors - Almaraz I and II, Ascó I and II, Cofrentes, Trillo and Vandellós II - generate about 20% of its electricity. Under the country's nuclear phase-out plans, agreed in 2019, four reactors are scheduled to close by the end of 2030 - including the two Almaraz ones - while the remaining three reactors will shut by 2035.

The Almaraz plant currently supplies more than 7% of the electricity consumed in Spain, equivalent to 4 million homes, and employs about 4,000 people. Almaraz units I and II are pressurised water reactors with a net capacity of 1011 MWe and 1006 MWe, respectively. Unit I entered commercial operation in 1983 with unit II following the next year. The plant is owned by Iberdrola (53%), Endesa (36%), and Naturgy (11%).

Key links to find out more:

World Nuclear News
ForoNuclear
Regulator requested to report on Almaraz licence extension
Nuclear Power in Spain
ForoNuclear highlights role of nuclear in Spanish energy mix

Email newsletter:
Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-ups

Contact info:
alex.hunt@world-nuclear.org

Episode credit: Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production