Plans for UK-first advanced nuclear fuel facility

The new facility will be built at Urenco's Capenhurst site in Cheshire

The UK is to invest £196m into creating Europe's first ever advanced nuclear fuel facility in Cheshire.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the uranium enrichment plant was essential to "prise Putin's blood-soaked hands off Europe's energy market".

The government said an energy supply chain that was not reliant on Russia was needed.

The facility is to be built and part-funded by Urenco in Capenhurst, Cheshire.

'Energy security'

The new development will produce advanced uranium fuel by 2031 for export or use domestically.

The government said it would support 400 jobs, power the UK's future nuclear power stations and ensure other countries are not reliant on Russia for advanced nuclear fuel, a market which it currently dominates.

Ministers said it was part of efforts to improve energy security and isolate Moscow from energy markets, following moves to stop imports of Russian oil and gas after the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Sunak said: "Russia has been the sole provider of this powerful nuclear fuel for too long and this marks the latest step in pushing him out of the energy market entirely.

"The wider future of British nuclear remains a critical national endeavour - guaranteeing nuclear and energy security, and reducing energy bills for Brits."

Secretary of State for Energy Security Claire Coutinho said: "Backing Urenco to build a uranium enrichment plant here in the UK will mean we are the first European nation outside Russia to produce advanced nuclear fuel.

"This will support hundreds of new jobs, bring investment for the people in Cheshire and is a huge win for energy security at home and abroad."

Officials said the fuel was needed to power new advanced modular reactors which they say will be key to meeting ambitions to quadruple the UK's nuclear capacity by 2050.

The funding is part of a £300 million programme announced in January, and Urenco, which is part-owned by the government, will co-fund the facility.

Under the plans the facility will have the capacity to produce up to 10 tonnes of the fuel per year by 2031, which could contain as much energy as more than one million tonnes of coal, the government said.