The production of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is used for small next-generation nuclear reactors, will begin in the United States in October, according to U.S. nuclear energy company Centrus Energy Corp.
With Russia being the dominant producer of HALEU, the U.S. has been delayed in developing advanced reactors due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. By domestically producing the high-performance nuclear fuel, the U.S. intends to become less dependent on Russia.
China and Russia have been dominating nuclear power plant construction, while the U.S. has not built a new such plant in many years. However, it seems as if the U.S. hopes to become the leader in developing small next-generation reactors, in which Japan is also involved.
HALEU — a type of fuel with a higher uranium enrichment compared to fuel used at standard nuclear power plants — is only sold by companies affiliated with the Russian state-owned atomic energy company Rosatom. Russia’s enrichment process, which is key to manufacturing nuclear fuel, is technologically advanced, so the U.S. did not find it necessary to produce the fuel on its own prior to the war in Ukraine.
Source : Japan News