Domestic utility attitudes toward foreign uranium supply

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6236588· OSTI ID:6236588

The current embargo on the enrichment of foreign-origin uranium for use in domestic utilization facilities is scheduled to be removed in 1984. The pending removal of this embargo, complicated by a depressed worldwide market for uranium, has prompted consideration of a new or extended embargo within the US Government. As part of its on-going data collection activities, Nuclear Resources International (NRI) has surveyed 50 domestic utility/utility holding companies (representing 60 lead operator-utilities) on their foreign uranium purchase strategies and intentions. The most recent survey was conducted in early May 1981. A number of qualitative observations were made during the course of the survey. The major observations are: domestic utility views toward foreign uranium purchase are dynamic; all but three utilities had some considered foreign purchase strategy; some utilities have problems with buying foreign uranium from particular countries; an inducement is often required by some utilities to buy foreign uranium; opinions varied among utilities concerning the viability of the domestic uranium industry; and many utilities could have foreign uranium fed through their domestic uranium contracts (indirect purchases). The above observations are expanded in the final section of the report. However, it should be noted that two of the observations are particularly important and should be seriously considered in formulation of foreign uranium import restrictions. These important observations are the dynamic nature of the subject matter and the potentially large and imbalanced effect the indirect purchases could have on utility foreign uranium procurement.

• Research Organization: Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Grand Junction, CO (United States); Nuclear Resources International, Atlanta, GA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC13-76GJ01664
• OSTI ID: 6236588
• Report Number(s): GJBX-182(81); ON: DE81025509; TRN: 81-016069
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
URANIUM OXIDES
EMBARGOES
IMPORTS
DATA ACQUISITION
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
MARKET
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PROCUREMENT
SURVEYS
TRADE
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
290600* - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy
051000 - Nuclear Fuels- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects