A Urenco contract to upgrade depleted uranium from Russia's Techsnabexport dating back to 1995 is likely to expire at the end of the year, Urenco said. The contract covers reinrichment of depleted uranium back to natural levels.

"Indications are that given the high demand for nuclear fuel, Russian enrichers prefer utilising their enrichment capacities for the fulfilment of this demand," Urenco said.

In a related development, Rosatom has confirmed it is reshuffling Russian enrichment activities to create a new fuel company. Nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL is taking over all the shares of two enrichment-related companies: OJSC United Company Enrichment Sublimation Complex and OJSC Engineering Centre Russian Gas Centrifuge. Both consolidate a number of factories with related disciplines in Russia. ESC was previously a sister company to TVEL under Atomenergoprom.

TVEL is scheduled to submit a report about the new structure to Rosatom and Atomenergoprom by the end of 2009. The company is expected to be formed in 2010.