Urenco said yesterday that the expansion of its Dutch facility in Almelo “progressed well” last year and that further expansion on the site is expected to begin during the second half of this year.

In addition, the group confirmed that its fourth enrichment plant and its first in the US, the National Enrichment Facility (NEF), is ready to start commercial operations subject to approval by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission – which is expected early this year. Urenco is 100 percent owner of the NEF through its Louisiana Energy Services subsidiary.

In 2009, the Urenco board approved the construction of the Tails Management Facility at the group’s UK site in Capenhurst which will treat Urenco’s depleted uranium tails, a by-product of the enrichment process.

A detailed trading statement was published on Urenco’s website yesterday and the group will report full financial results for 2009 in April 2010.