Urenco's contribution to the enrichment market

The paper deals with the Present status of Urenco Enrichment Plants and Order Book, Urenco's future development, The Western World enrichment supply situation, Urenco's Policy on the reliability of enrichment supplies, and its contribution to a reliable, stable and competitive world enrichment market. Urenco's current plant capacity and forward committed expansion plans up to 1990 and its present position in the western world enrichment market are described. The application of Urenco's centrifuge technology to the enrichment of recycles uranium and the relevance of laser enrichment development to Urenco are discussed. The paper next discusses the structure and main characteristics of the major sectional markets of the western world enrichment market, i.e. particularly in the United States, Western Europe and Asia (Japan, Korea and Taiwan). Urenco's contractual approach regarding the reliability of enrichment supplies is discussed, it is shown that Urenco's development of the centrifuge process to the point of economic maturity, Urenco's establishment of a multi-national commercial enrichment organization, Urenco's achievement in the world enrichment market by a commercial and competitive approach, Urenco's preparedness to negotiate suitable supply arrangements including the establishment of plants in other market areas have vastly contributed to a stabilisation of the world enrichment market. (J.P.N.)