Tetra Tech supported the reconfiguration of the Enriched Uranium Residues Recovery Plant (EURRP facility) to handle lower-concentration enriched uranium residues, ensuring safe processing and recovery operations continue.
Tetra Tech provided safety support/management to the Enriched Uranium Residues Recovery Plant (EURRP) reconfiguration project.
The EURRP recovers enriched uranium from contaminated solid residues resulting from the fabrication of nuclear fuel for reactors. The plant was modified to accommodate Under Bump Metallization (UBM) residues from overseas which are likely to contain much lower concentrations of uranium than EURRP is currently able to process.
In addition to modifying EURRP to allow the future spectrum of feedstocks to be processed, the opportunity was also taken to include process/safety improvements within the proposed design changes, which will allow the processing to conclusion of legacy wastes.
Challenge
Inefficiencies within the existing EURRP process have led to much solid and liquid waste being unfit for direct sentencing off-site. This has been attributed to poor leaching of uranium into solution and inadequate washing of the sludge. Poor leaching results in excess levels of insoluble uranium and inadequate washing results in too much soluble uranium in the sludge and filter cake produced. EURRP requires reconfiguration to address both these issues.
Solution
We integrated experienced personnel into the EURRP reconfiguration project team to assist Springfields Fuels Limited (SFL) and its partners to find cost-effective solutions to these issues in a timely manner, whilst being mindful of the potential hazards involved.
The overall scheme for the processing of Under Bump Metallization (UBM) residues in the EURRP facility will continue to use as much of the existing plant as possible, and includes:
- Modifying the chemical processes within the dissolver
- Installing the facility to recombine the dissolver products, mixing these with filter aid to enable greatly improved filtration by two new filter presses
- Installing the facility to directly discharge dissolver liquors with very low uranium content post-filtration, to minimise use of process chemicals
- Recycling some of the concentrated uranium solution from the SEP into the lower-uranium concentration solution from the dissolver, to produce a uranium concentration suitable for SEP feed
- Production of an overarching strategy paper for safety and environment
- Optioneering studies
- Chairing numerous hazard identification studies
- Production of radiological/chemotoxic safety assessments
- Managing the delivery of the suite of safety case deliverables
- Production of an overall preliminary safety report for the preliminary design
At a glance
Client
Springfields Fuels Limited (SFL)
Location
Preston, Lancashire, UK
Services
Safety case support and management
The project featured in this article was undertaken by RPS, A Tetra Tech Company and originally published on RPSgroup.com. In March 2026 RPS rebranded to Tetra Tech.