Fuel Services
Learn how uranium is mined, milled and processed at Cameco
In Uranium Part 2 - watch how uranium is turned into fuel at our fuel manufacturing facilities in Ontario.
Watch Uranium Part 1 - mining and milling
Video courtesy of How It's Made, a Discovery Communications, Science Channel program
Cameco is a prominent supplier of uranium processing services required to produce fuel for the generation of clean electricity. We operate the world's largest commercial refinery in Blind River, have about 21% of the world UF6 primary conversion capacity in Port Hope, and are a leading manufacturer of fuel assemblies and reactor components for CANDU reactors at our facilities in Port Hope and Cobourg.
Our focus is on cost-competitiveness and operational efficiency. Our fuel services segment is strategically important because it helps support the growth of the uranium segment. Offering a range of products and services to customers helps us broaden our business relationships and expand our uranium market share.
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2023 Q4 Update
Production
Fuel services produced 13.3 million kgU, 2% higher than 2022.
Planning for the future
Production
We plan to produce between 13.5 million and 14.5 million kgU in 2024. This includes increasing annual production at our Port Hope UF6 conversion facility to 12,000 tonnes to satisfy our book of long-term business and demand for conversion services.
Licensing
In January 2023, the CNSC granted a 20-year renewal to the licence for CFM. The licence renewal also grants CFM’s request for a slight production increase to 1,650 tonnes as UO2 fuel pellets.
Planning for the future
We take significant steps and precautions to reduce risk. However, there is no guarantee that our efforts to mitigate risk will be successful.
We discuss managing our risks in our Q4 2023 MD&A.
Refining
Cameco's Blind River operation is the world's largest uranium refinery producing an intermediate product in the nuclear fuel cycle.
Conversion
The Port Hope Conversion Facility provides uranium dioxide (UO2) and uranium hexafluoride (UF6) conversion services for nuclear operators around the world.
Fuel Manufacturing
Cameco Fuel Manufacturing produces fuel bundles for CANDU reactors and also provides reactor components and consulting services to CANDU operators around the world.