This uranium company wants to break the grip that foreign state corporations have on U.S. nuclear fuel

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. nuclear power sector is heavily reliant on foreign state-owned companies for uranium supplies, which poses challenges as the country aims to significantly increase its nuclear capacity by 2050 [1][2][4]. Industry Overview - President Trump's initiative aims to quadruple the U.S. nuclear power capacity to 400 gigawatts by 2050, building on previous goals set by former President Biden [2]. - The U.S. depended on foreign countries for approximately 70% of its nuclear fuel in 2023, with 27% of fuel purchases coming from Russia [3][4]. Supply Chain Challenges - The U.S. is set to eliminate Russian uranium from its supply chain by 2028 due to legislative actions following geopolitical tensions, creating a potential supply gap [4]. - The current Western enrichment capacity is primarily controlled by non-American entities, specifically France's Orano and the Urenco consortium [5][6]. Domestic Capacity Issues - There is a significant lack of domestic fuel cycle capacity in the U.S., with no American-owned companies involved in mining, converting, or enriching uranium [6]. - The only commercial enrichment facility in the U.S. is owned by Urenco, highlighting the dominance of state-owned enterprises in the nuclear fuel supply chain [6]. Market Dynamics - The CEO of Centrus Energy emphasizes the need for additional enrichment capacity and competition in the market to address the current supply challenges [7].