Licence for Urenco’s transition to natural refrigerant replacements
Urenco has permission to use natural refrigerant replacements instead of artificial refrigerant materials to cool its facilities at its Almelo plant. We have granted the company an amended licence for this purpose. Our decision is based on an assessment that shows no adverse impacts on people and the environment. Interested parties have the right to appeal against our decision until midnight on 12 June 2025.
Assessment also covers environmental impact
Urenco (in Dutch) enriches uranium as fuel for nuclear power plants, with heat being released in the process. The ANVS assesses the potential environmental impact of Urenco’s activities, for instance in cases of refrigerant leakage. We take this into account in issuing our licence, which also covers ionising radiation and nuclear safety. In the latter two areas, there are no changes at this time.
Additional building for stable isotopes
Urenco has also been granted permission to construct a second building to be used for stable isotope enrichment. Stable isotopes are non-radioactive substances used in various scientific research applications, for example. We have issued a licence that will allow Urenco to expand its facility to include this building. Urenco is responsible for applying for the relevant planning permission to the local municipality. The company must also apply to us for a separate licence for the activities it intends to carry out in this building.
Uranium storage more clearly defined
The amended licence will also more clearly state what Urenco (in Dutch) may store in the building housing the Cylinder Receipt and Dispatch Department (CRDD). This building is a storage facility for uranium, a material used in the production process of fissionable material for nuclear reactors.
Appeals possible until 12 June 2025
If you are an interested party and you are directly affected by our decision to grant this licence, you have the right to appeal (in Dutch) against the final licence (in Dutch) until midnight on 12 June 2025. This is also possible if you cannot reasonably be held accountable for having failed to submit a statement of view earlier.
Responses to the draft licence
Between 25 February and 9 April 2025, all parties had the opportunity to review the draft licence. One member of the public responded and submitted a statement of view. Much of this statement of view bore no relevance to our decision. As a result, our decision remains unchanged. We provide a more detailed account of this matter in the final licence (in Dutch).
Further information
For more information, see the official announcement (in Dutch) in the Government Gazette.