Uranium Enrichment in Canada

Nuclear Energy Futures Paper #5

June 3, 2009

The environment surrounding nuclear power production is changing around the world, including in Canada. This paper discusses the Canadian mining of uranium, its subsequent processing, current enrichment technologies and the capital and operating costs of a modern centrifuge enrichment plant. On the basis of these reasoned estimates based on publicly available information, it is expected that enrichment in Canada is likely to be more profitable than exporting natural uranium and buying back enriched uranium. Assuming that an environmentally and socially acceptable enrichment site is selected, this report asserts that an environmental assessment would be unlikely to find significant adverse effects.

Part of Series

Nuclear Energy Futures

CIGI's Nuclear Energy Futures Papers present research commissioned by the Nuclear Energy Futures Project, which is examining the scope of the purported nuclear energy revival over the coming two decades and its implications for global governance. The papers are written by experts in nuclear energy or nuclear global governance.

About the Authors

After a career as a research scientist, David Jackson served as director of Canada’s National Fusion Program. 

Ken Dormuth holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Alberta and has more than 35 years of experience in science and technology related to energy and the environment.