State-Owned Enterprise “Navoiyuran” accepts responsibility for its role in protecting the environment and ensuring the efficient use of resources. We are committed to optimising our energy consumption while adhering to the principles of environmental and social responsibility.
As part of our commitment to sustainability and production efficiency, SOE “Navoiyuran” pays special attention to the implementation of an energy management system in accordance with the international standard ISO 50001. This approach includes the development and adoption of an energy management policy, energy management goals, internal audit procedures, non-conformity management and corrective actions, strategic management and risk management.
We actively analyse our energy consumption and energy efficiency, striving for continuous improvement. Implementing an energy management system helps us identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption and reduce negative environmental impacts.
State-Owned Enterprise “Navoiyuran ” strives to increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources. Its total electricity demand is 646.7 GJ per year. At the Uchkuduk production site there is a steam turbine plant with a capacity of 6 MW, which covers 80% of the needs for Sulphuric acid production.
In 2023, the company expanded the capacity of the photovoltaic plant to 600 kW to convert solar energy into electricity. The excess steam produced is transferred to JSC NMMC. In the same year, 32,003 tonnes of steam were supplied to this company. Production facilities receive electricity from the networks of NMMC JSC and the Nurabad mine administration receives electricity from JSC “National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan”.
Electricity and heating power consumption
In 2023, electricity consumption at the State-Owned Enterprise “Navoiyuran” increased by 7.5% compared to the previous year. The bulk of electricity is spent on maintaining the operation of equipment and systems necessary for underground in-situ recovery of uranium ore. This process accounts for 87% of the plant’s total energy consumption. The 6.3% increase in drilling volume also had a significant impact on the increase in electricity consumption. This made it possible to increase uranium production by 9.5%. Thus, the efficient use of electricity plays a key role in ensuring the stability and productivity of the uranium mining process at the State-Owned Enterprise “Navoiyuran”.
Energy consumption by section in 2023 MWh
Production process | 2022
| 2023
|
For uranium production | 470,907 | 538,645 |
For the production of finished goods | 12,954 | 15,274 |
For the reclamation of the uranium mining waste dumps | 5,081 | 9,879 |
For the production of ammonium perrhenate | 2,246 | 2,191 |
For the production of Sulphuric acid | 42,761 | 48,540 |
For the production of tubular goods | 2.615 | 3,175 |
For drilling | 750 | 2,479 |
The company currently uses non-renewable fuels for its production processes and the production of electricity and heat, despite their negative impact on the environment. This has both positive and negative sides. Positive aspects include high energy density, reliability of energy supply and cost-effectiveness in certain cases. However, there is a high level of environmental pollution due to emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants from fuel combustion, as well as limited resources.
As part of its strategic plans, the Company aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources (RES), which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the negative impact on the environment. The increase in the use of non-renewable energy sources by 17% compared to 2022 is explained by their main use in the production divisions of the Enterprise.
Consumption of non-renewable fuels
With an increase in uranium production in the State-Owned Enterprise “Navoiyuran”, there is a decrease in the intensity of electricity consumption by 24% compared to 2022. This demonstrates the importance of the enterprise’s environmental responsibility and its commitment to sustainable development. Reducing the intensity of energy consumption not only promotes resource efficiency, but also reduces the negative impact on the environment. Such efforts are aimed not only at business development, but also at creating an ecological balance in society.
Energy consumption intensity
Indicator name
| 2022 | 2023 |
Energy consumption intensity, GJ / UZS million of revenue | 7.7 | 6.0 |
Energy consumption intensity, GJ / (product output) | 0.6 | 0.5 |
Energy consumption intensity, GJ / per. | 234.6 | 238.6 |
Reduction of Energy Consumption
SOE “Navoiyuran” decided to reduce energy consumption, improving the environmental and social efficiency of its activities. The introduction of energy-efficient technologies and optimisation of production processes have become key steps in this direction. These measures not only help conserve resources and reduce operating costs, but also comply with modern standards of sustainable development and responsible business.
In 2023, the State-Owned Enterprise “Navoiyuran” successfully continued its initiative, reducing electricity consumption to 204.795 MWh. Updating equipment and switching to more energy-efficient solutions, including the introduction of frequency converters, led to significant energy savings.
The increase in photovoltaic (PV) plant capacity to 0.6 MWh in 2023 and the planned increase to 1.5 MWh in 2024 are important steps towards increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the overall energy mix of the enterprise. This not only helps reduce the environmental impact, but also improves the sustainability of production processes.
Additionally, SOE “Navoiyuran” plans to conduct an audit to assess the compliance of the energy management system with ISO 50001 standard. This step is aimed at more efficient energy management and reduction of energy costs in the future.