Capenhurst Facility: High-assay Low-enriched Uranium

Lord Ravensdale Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

We do believe that we are on track for a start-up in 2031, and of course we work with international partners. The UK is working closely with European partners to develop a secure and resilient supply, which will play an important role in also producing medical radioisotopes. We work closely with the G7 to remain close partners in discussions on how we build supply chains free of Russian influence. I am sure noble Lords will be aware that the UK has already implemented a direct ban on Russian uranium, in May 2026. This also restricts UK persons or entities from facilitating Russian uranium supply to third countries. We have a close working partnership with the United States on nuclear policy. I attended the G20 Ministers’ meeting, and in that dimension, there was good co-operation.

[Lord Ravensdale (CB)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as a chief engineer working for AtkinsRéalis. Within the plutonium stockpile at Sellafield, there is something of a goldmine: £60 billion worth of an isotope called americium. The economic benefit could be much wider than that, because if we can capture the full value chain of this isotope in using it for things such as nuclear batteries and space and defence applications, we could capture even more value in a new industry for the UK. To unlock private capital and private investment, we need clear assurances from the Government and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that they support this programme, to allow that investment to proceed. Can the Minister say when the Government will be in a position to provide those assurances?

[Baroness Curran (Lab)]

I have had a discussion previously with the noble Lord about americium, and I appreciate the briefing that he has given me. The Government have supported the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory to extract americium from the UK’s civil separated plutonium inventory at Sellafield for the European Space Agency’s ENDURE programme. We recognise the potential importance of americium for other advanced technologies, including space power systems. We are currently working with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to explore opportunities for collaboration with industry. I should say to the noble Lord that no decisions have been made at this stage, but discussions are ongoing, and I have a funny feeling that he will ask for those further discussions to include him, which I am happy to do.