Why the U.S. Buys So Much Nuclear Fuel From Russia | WSJ

U.S. nuclear power plants got about 24% of their enriched uranium from Russia in 2022. Nuclear energy is staging a comeback as demand continues to rise to meet clean energy goals, but the U.S. currently lacks sufficient capacity to turn raw uranium into nuclear fuel.

WSJ takes a look at how the U.S. is reviving domestic production of nuclear fuel to lessen its dependence on Moscow.

Chapters:
0:00 Nuclear power
0:36 Uranium supply chain, explained
1:52 How the U.S. is ramping up domestic capacity
4:14 Why Russia dominates
4:50 Funding

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[anirudhnarla]

Im gonna summarise the video for people - Basically russia has control over the supply chain of uranium and all the manufacturing capabilities of refining uranium so it can sell to usa for cheap. But usa lacks the required manufacturing industry for refining uranium. But since times are hard and usa wants to stop depending on russia, the federal government is planning to provide incentives to corporates to invest in the nuclear energy industry so they can get enough manufacturing capability to refine uranium

[Igloo]

Hypocrisy at its very best. White House press secretary Jen Psaki asked India ‘Which side of history do you want to be on?’ when questioned about India buying discounted Russian oil.

[earthboy]

Europe is dependend on Russias gas and oil, and the US preasured them to stop buying. A good part of the world is dependend on Russias grain, fertiliser etc, and the US imposed sancions on them too. And the US is dependend on Russias nuclear fuel, and there are no sanctions on this 😂

[centuriomacro]

Funny how the USA depends for their energy (nuclear fuel) on Russia. But complaining about Europe for doing the same for their energy needs (gas).

[Oadana]

Where are the sanctions against Russia ?

[jamm]

Its hilarious when people refer to not selling someone something as "weaponising" it 😂😂😂

Its exactly the same as when you choose not to buy something from someone 🥴🤦‍♂️

We have weaponised everything from food to energy too, so whats the point in trying to cry about it as if you have a right to do something to someone that another doesn't have the same right to do to you.

[fernandesac]

Russia is using energy as a weapon. Isn’t the west who banned Russian energy 😂😂😂

[BestFrenchLessons]

That’s why the US is trying to secure its position in Niger.
As of December 14th 2023 the current regime in Niger and their relation with Russia is making the US nervous

[SABBIRIMON]

US is incredibly willing to use dollar as a weapon

[CeylonLastMile]

It is the USA which uses Sanction as a weapon not Russia.

[adamrfu]

Look at the Comments..., And we know how many people feel "Fu*cked Up* by US/ Western Double Standard & Hypocrisy 😂😂

[ecognitio]

If America has been unable to enrich uranium up to 5% for nuclear reactors since 2013, how does it enrich weapons grade uranium (90%) for nuclear weapons? Has it just been refurbishing cold war nuclear warheads for a decade? Insane that the country that built the atom bomb is unable to do so currently due to

[yojimbo]

1:40 "We've seen that Russia is willing to use its energy resources as a tool of leverage." That's a funny way of saying we rely on Russia for energy. Russia isn't doing any leveraging but selling it.

[michaelogunronbi]

Kudos to Russia for being lenient on the US. It can easily hurt the US with this but it decided not to because it will hurt ordinary people more than the politicians misgoverning the country

[Sjalabais]

"There is no nuclear fuel cycle without government support"...which is where the US made itself dependent on Russia while (still rightfully) mocking Europe's dependency on Russia's gas and oil industry. Interdependency used to be a good thing in a well regulated world, it's a shame we're moving away from that.

[Dayusi-]

Sanction Russia and then blame them for not supplying 😮

[imtiazpabel]

Hypocrisy of Us who lectures others shamelessly

[alexandrnoskov]

I read the title of the material and took it as a question. I answer based on my own experience and knowledge: American capitalism (not to be confused with Russian, Chinese or Arab) has brought the country to the point where it is no longer profitable to refine uranium or plunium. Despite the fact that Western civilization already uses the cheapest method of enrichment possible - the centrifuge. Soviet Russia invested heavily in enrichment filtration conveyors, which over generations made the best quality Russian uranium the cheapest. Then everything happened according to the laws of capitalism - whoever can offer lower costs for the buyer sells his goods. So here are two conditions that made the United States completely dependent on Putin’s uranium:
1) Complete degradation of the US nuclear industry.
2) Higher quality and cheaper Russian uranium.

[joesamson]

The answer is simple: Profit. The day it will become unprofitable again, all these mines will close once more.

[MikaelArhelger]

And Germany shuts down the nuclear reactors. What stupidity.