The Uranium Producers of America (“UPA”) was founded in 1985 to promote a sustainable and strong domestic uranium mining and conversion industry by fostering free and fair competition while being environmentally sensitive to the communities in which we live and work. UPA believes for the United States to become energy independent and for national security reasons, it is vital that domestic uranium serves as a prominent and stable component of our country’s nuclear fuel supply.
The United States currently derives about 20% of its electricity from nuclear power. Nuclear energy plays crucial roles in providing a clean-air and low-cost source of base-load electricity generation. Existing reactors provide the vast majority (about 65%) of this nation’s carbon-free electricity. Nuclear power provides highly reliable energy 24/7 and also serves as a stabilizing force for our nation’s electrical grid. In order to satisfy clean air and climate change objectives, the use of nuclear power should increase and continue to play a major role in a diversified energy supply mix. Nuclear plants also provide economic benefits of direct and indirect employment, supporting local and ancillary economies.
The United States continues to be the world’s largest consumer of uranium with annual requirements of about 50 million pounds (U3O8) for commercial reactors, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA). As of July 2014, there are 100 operating reactors in the country, with five new commercial reactors under construction (Vogtle 3 & 4, Summer 2 & 3 and Watts Bar 2). In addition, there are prospects for future growth with 23 new reactor applications with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [In 2021, there are 93 nuclear power plants (reactors) in operation, with three now under construction, two in Georgia and one in Wyoming and one in Idaho of the new SMR design]
Historically, uranium production in the U.S. peaked in 1980 at about 44 million pounds. In 2013, U.S. uranium mines produced about 4.6 million pounds, less than 10% of the annual uranium required to fuel the current commercial reactors.[For updates on uranium production, see: (here).
Members of the UPA believe that the resulting dependency on foreign uranium supply makes the U.S. vulnerable to supply disruptions. The UPA is committed to working with Congress and the Administration to develop long-term energy solutions and ensure a sustainable and stable domestic supply of uranium to meet current and future reactor demands to underpin a strong economy. Please contact your local congressional representative to express your support of a strong and sustainable domestic uranium industry. For more information or assistance on UPA issues, please contact us.
[For additional information on the uranium-supply chain, see (here).
and on the current state of nuclear power and uranium resources, see (here)].
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