A proposal before the U.S. Department of Commerce to limit nuclear power plant operators access to global uranium supply sources is likely to create additional economic stress on an already vulnerable U.S. industry nuclear industry, a new study finds. With a significant price difference between U.S. and foreign sourced uranium, the proposed quota, if implemented, could likely lead to additional retirements of nuclear facilities beyond those already announced.
The study, ‘The Market Impact of Proposed U.S. Uranium Import Quotas on the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry,’ produced by the NorthBridge Group, suggests that a proposed quota would impose an additional $500 million to $800 million per year costs on U.S. nuclear power generators.