Russia, to this day, still supplies the USA with 30% of the enriched nuclear fuel needed for US nuclear reactors.
Some US utilities are even lobbying the US Congress to allow them to increase the quota allowed from Russia, as it can’t be replaced for at least several years.
“enriched nuclear fuel needed for US nuclear reactors.”
You may appreciate this article:
I found both of these 2 items particularly interesting:
1- “Also, a new laser enrichment technology has been developed that promises even lower costs and a greater ability to physically substitute enrichment for uranium. In addition, during this time the Fukushima reactor accident occurred, resulting in the shutdown of a number of reactors and slower nuclear power growth, creating an environment for an even greater substitution of enrichment and uranium due to the relative economics of each and an abundance of excess enrichment capacity.
... Laser enrichment has even greater efficiency than centrifuge, able to operate at lower tails assays and thus requiring even less uranium to make a given quantity of enriched uranium.6 Because of its enhanced abilities, laser enrichment can more efficiently process tails material as well. In this regard, in 2013 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected a non-binding proposal by Global Laser Enrichment (GLE) to construct a tails enrichment facility using the SILEX technology at the DOE site in Paducah, Kentucky. DOE currently has about 114,000 MTU of high-assay tails material. Processing these at the proposed tails enrichment plant would result in another 5 million pounds U3O8 of natural uranium equivalent being produced on an annual basis, similar to the output of the Angarsk plant. However, due to poor economics related to depressed uranium prices, which ironically was in large measure due to enrichment supplanting the need for uranium, the GLE venture is not proceeding at this point.”
2-Policy Implications topic
Enrichmentâs Critical Role in Nuclear Fuel Supplies
By Jeff Combs and Y. Lydia Hsieh Ph.D.|January 15th, 2021|Research|0 Comments
https://atompeace.org/enrichments-critical-role-in-nuclear-fuel-supplies/