British media reported Friday that the UK government has hired Morgan Stanley to study the potential sale of the country's stake in Urenco.
The move is the latest indication the government will go forward with its interest, announced this summer, in unloading its share of the uranium enrichment firm.
Sky News and the Financial Times quoted anonymous sources as saying the banking firm had been hired to study the sale of Urenco to a single party or via shares on a stock market. The Times reported that the government has not made a final decision, and that a sale was unlikely before next year. Any sale would require approval by Urenco's other shareholders – the Dutch government and German utilities Eon and RWE.
Toshiba and Cameco have expressed interest in the company. As has the former CEO of a joint venture between Areva and Urenco.
In the U.S., a Urenco subsidiary owns the Urenco USA enrichment facility in Eunice, N.M., with a current capacity of 2 million SWU, according to the company. It began operation in June 2010 and has plans for adding further capacity.