There is only one currently operating conventional uranium mill in the United States, located at White Mesa, Utah and owned by Colorado-based Energy Fuels. Image courtesy of Energy Fuels

Diversification from Russian nuclear fuel requires market-oriented solutions

By Yanliang Pan, January 15, 2024

https://thebulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/White-Mesa-uranium_mill-150x150.jpg
https://thebulletin.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/White-Mesa-uranium_mill-150x150.jpg

There is only one currently operating conventional uranium mill in the United States, located at White Mesa, Utah and owned by Colorado-based Energy Fuels. Image courtesy of Energy Fuels

Loading...
References

Cameco. 2022. “Cameco Produces First Packaged Pounds Following McArthur River/Key Lake Restart.” November 9. https://www.cameco.com/media/news/cameco-produces-first-packaged-pounds-following-mcarthur-river-key-lake-res

Cameco. 2023a. 2022 Annual Report. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets-us-west-2/annual/cameco-2022-annual-report.pdf

Cameco. 2023b. “CCO and Energoatom Agree on Commercial Terms to Supply Ukraine’s Full Natural UF6 Needs through 2035.” February 8. https://www.cameco.com/media/news/cco-and-energoatom-agree-on-commercial-terms-to-supply-ukraines-full-natura

Centrus Energy Corp. 2023. Centrus Form 10-K. https://investors.centrusenergy.com/static-files/9c69d593-1dbd-4b90-98d6-47232a99426d

Chaffee, P. 2022a. “Nuclear Fuel: Western Suppliers Prepare for Sudden Bull Market.” Energy Intelligence. March 25. https://www.energyintel.com/0000017f-9d96-db3b-a9ff-bdfe14e90000

Chaffee, P. 2022b. “Interview: Orano’s Peythieu on Navigating Market in ‘Fog of War.’ ” Energy Intelligence. September 23, 2022. https://www.energyintel.com/00000183-59a2-db08-a79f-59f7ecc60000

Chalfant, M. 2022. “White House Asks Congress for $13.7B in Ukraine-Related Funding.” The Hill. September 2. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3625876-white-house-asks-congress-for-13-7b-in-ukraine-related-funding/

Coyne, E. 2023. “Uranium Update from Per’s Cabin.” Sprott. June 27. https://sprottetfs.com/insights/podcast-uranium-update-from-pers-cabin/

Euratom. 2022. Euratom Supply Agency Annual Report 2021. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://euratom-supply.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-12/Euratom%20Supply%20Agency%20-%20Annual%20report%202021%20-%20Corrected%20edition.pdf

Fefer, R.F., and L.N. Larson. 2019. Section 232 Investigation: Uranium Imports. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11145

International Panel on Fissile Materials. 2023. “Fissile Material Stocks.” April 29. https://fissilematerials.org/

International Trade Administration. 2023. “Uranium From the Russian Federation; Final Results of the Expedited Fifth Sunset Review of the Suspension Agreement.” Federal Register. January 3. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/03/2022-28532/uranium-from-the-russian-federation-final-results-of-the-expedited-fifth-sunset-review-of-the

Jennetta, A. 2021. “Metropolis Restart Decision Driven by Conversion Supply Gap: Official.” Platts Nucleonics Week 62 (18).

Jennetta, A. 2023a. “US DOE Awards $14 Million to US Uranium Converter for Reserve Program.” Platts Nuclear Fuel48 (1).

Jennetta, A. 2023b. “Recent Trends in Uranium Conversion, Enrichment Markets Will Continue in 2023: Executives.” Platts Nucleonics Week 64 (4).

Jennetta, A., and O. Adelman. 2022. “Uranium Enrichment Capacity Expansion Program Top Priority for 2023: Urenco.” Platts Nucleonics Week 63 (51).

Kazatomprom. 2022. “Kazatomprom 3Q22 Operations and Trading Update.” October 26. https://www.kazatomprom.kz/en/media/view/operatsionnie_rezultati_deyatelnosti_ao_nak_kazatomprom_za_3_kvartal_2022_goda

Majerus, R. 2022. Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of the Fifth Sunset Review of the Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Uranium from the Russian Federation. Washington, D.C.: International Trade Administration. https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx

McMorris Rodgers, C. 2023. Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1042/text

Moniz, E.J. 2015. Analysis of Potential Impacts of Uranium Transfers on the Domestic Uranium Mining, Conversion, and Enrichment Industries. Washington, DC: US Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/2015-secretarial-determination

Nuclear Engineering International. 2022a. “World Nuclear Fuel Conference Report.” June 22. https://www.neimagazine.com/features/featureworld-nuclear-fuel-conference-report-9793490/

Nuclear Engineering International. 2022b. “Orano to Increase Uranium Enrichment Capacity.” October 14. https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsorano-to-increase-uranium-enrichment-capacity-10086612/

Nuclear Engineering International. 2023. “Ukraine’s Energoatom Signs Agreements with Cameco for Fuel Supplies.” March 22. https://www.neimagazine.com/news/newsukraines-energoatom-signs-agreements-with-cameco-for-fuel-supplies-10694716/

Orano. 2023. “Tricastin.” https://www.orano.group/en/nuclear-expertise/orano-s-sites-around-the-world/uranium-transformation/tricastin/expertise

Ostroff, J. 2015. “DOE Uranium Transfer Plan Fails to Assess Economic Harm: ConverDyn.” Platts Nucleonics Week 56 (23).

Perry, R. 2017. Analysis of Potential Impacts of Uranium Transfers on the Domestic Uranium Mining, Conversion, and Enrichment Industries. Washington, DC: US Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/secretarial-determination-april-2017

TradeTech. 2021. “Nuclear Market Review.” Sprott. August 20. https://sprott.com/media/4209/nmr210820.pdf

UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. 2022. “Nuclear Fuel Fund (NFF): Request for Information (Closed).” July 19. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-fuel-fund-nff

UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Grant Shapps. 2023. “New Nuclear Fuel Agreement alongside G7 Seeks to Isolate Putin’s Russia.” April 16. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-nuclear-fuel-agreement-alongside-g7-seeks-to-isolate-putins-russia

Urenco. 2023a. Annual Report and Accounts 2022. https://www.urenco.com/cdn/uploads/supporting-files/Urenco_AR2022.pdf

Urenco. 2023b. “Urenco Signs Nuclear Fuel Agreement to Support Bulgaria Diversification Efforts.” April 20. https://www.urenco.com/news/global/2023/urenco-signs-nuclear-fuel-agreement-to-support-bulgaria-diversification-efforts

US Department of Energy. 2020. “Restoring America’s Competitive Nuclear Energy Advantage: A Strategy to Assure U.S. National Security.” https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/04/f74/Restoring%20America%27s%20Competitive%20Nuclear%20Advantage-Blue%20version%5B1%5D.pdf

US Department of Energy. 2021. “Request for Information (RFI) Regarding Planning for Establishment of a Program To Support the Availability of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for Civilian Domestic Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercial Use.” Federal Register. December 14. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/14/2021-26984/request-for-information-rfi-regarding-planning-for-establishment-of-a-program-to-support-the

US Energy Information Administration. 2020. 2019 Uranium Marketing Annual Report. Washington, DC: US Department of Energy. https://www.eia.gov/uranium/marketing/archive/umar2019.pdf

US Energy Information Administration. 2023. 2022 Uranium Marketing Annual Report. Washington, DC: US Department of Energy. https://www.eia.gov/uranium/marketing/pdf/2022%20UMAR.pdf

Vattenfall. 2022. “Vattenfall Secures Long-Term Nuclear Fuel Supply.” May 5. https://group.vattenfall.com/press-and-media/pressreleases/2022/vattenfall-secures-long-term-nuclear-fuel-supply

Wald, M. 2023. “On the Verge of a Crisis: The U.S. Nuclear Fuel Gordian Knot.” Nuclear Newswire. April 15. https://www.ans.org/news/article-4909/on-the-verge-of-a-crisis-the-us-nuclear-fuel-gordian-knot/

Westinghouse Electric Company. 2022. “Helping Finland to Secure Its Energy Future.” November 22. https://info.westinghousenuclear.com/news/helping-finland-secure-energy-future

Westinghouse Electric Company. 2023. “Westinghouse Reinforces Its Commitment to Energy Security in Czech Republic.” March 29. https://info.westinghousenuclear.com/news/westinghouse-reinforces-its-commitment-to-energy-security-in-czech-republic

White House. 2022. “FY 2023 Continuing Resolution (CR) Appropriations Issues.” https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CR_Package_9-2-22.pdf

Wood, J. 2022. “A Global Realignment.” Nuclear Engineering International. October 20. https://www.neimagazine.com/features/featurea-global-realignment-10102424/

World Nuclear Association. 2023a. “Supply of Uranium.” May. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/uranium-resources/supply-of-uranium.aspx

World Nuclear Association. 2023b. “World Nuclear Power Reactors & Uranium Requirements.” July. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/facts-and-figures/world-nuclear-power-reactors-and-uranium-requireme.aspx

World Nuclear News. 2022a. “Calm Approach the Right Strategy for Energy Security, Says Panel.” April 28. https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Calm-approach-the-right-strategy-for-energy-securi

World Nuclear News. 2022b. “Cameco Promises Patience as Uranium Market Realigns.” May 5. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Cameco-promises-patience-as-uranium-market-realign

World Nuclear News. 2022c. “First Contracts Awarded for US Strategic Uranium Reserve.” December 16. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/First-contracts-awarded-for-US-strategic-uranium-r

World Nuclear News. 2023a. “Cameco Reaps Benefits of ‘best-Ever’ Fuel Market Fundamentals.” February 10. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Cameco-reaps-benefits-of-best-ever-fuel-market-fun

World Nuclear News. 2023b. “Centrus on Track for HALEU Demonstration by Year-End.” February 10. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Centrus-on-track-for-HALEU-demonstration-by-year-e

World Nuclear News. 2023c. “Market Dynamics under Spotlight at WNFC 2023.” April 20. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Market-dynamics-under-spotlight-at-WNFC-2023

World Nuclear News. 2023d. “Urenco, Cameco Sign Supply Deals for Bulgaria’s Kozloduy.” April 21. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Urenco,-Cameco-sign-10-year-deals-with-Bulgaria-s

World Nuclear News. 2023e. “Fuel Cycle Players Need Certainty to Support Future Nuclear Growth: Panel.” September 8. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Fuel-cycle-players-need-certainty-to-support-futur

Together, we make the world safer.

The Bulletin elevates expert voices above the noise. But as an independent nonprofit organization, our operations depend on the support of readers like you. Help us continue to deliver quality journalism that holds leaders accountable. Your support of our work at any level is important. In return, we promise our coverage will be understandable, influential, vigilant, solution-oriented, and fair-minded. Together we can make a difference.


Get alerts about this thread
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments