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The Future is Now

Nuclear Energy in the United States

What is Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Energy is a zero-emission clean energy source that is vital to our national energy security and decarbonization goals. It generates power through fission; the heat released by fission is used to create steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity without the harmful byproducts emitted by fossil fuels.

The US is the largest consumer of uranium in the world, yet produces close to none, despite having abundant uranium sources.

Nuclear Energy Provides Domestic Energy Security

In the U.S., several utilities have announced life extensions and power uprates of existing, operating reactors because of government policy changes that are directly supporting nuclear power. With several reactor construction projects recently approved and many more planned around the world, demand for uranium fuel continues to increase.

"[We] can't get to zero carbon without nuclear power, it's that simple."

William M. Sheriff, Chairman

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"We are not going to be able to achieve our climate goals if nuclear plants shut down. We have to find ways to keep them operating"

Energy Secretary Granholm

"Uranium is being advanced as a “critical material” that is vital to America’s economic and national security."

U.S. Department of Energy

Why American Uranium?

Provides a safe, reliable, and cost effective source of American energy.

Reduces our reliance on unreliable foreign uranium producers such as Russia, Kazakhstan, and China.

Nuclear provides 20% of US power and is a viable, affordable energy source that protects our pocketbooks and national security.

Replaces 70% of uranium purchased from foreign state-owned suppliers.

Supports and grows our economy with jobs, contracts, and tax revenue.

Supporting American uranium directly contributes to the effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

Bi-Partisan Support

Nuclear Energy in the United States

Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, 2024

Banning all Russian uranium imports to the U.S. until 2040.

The President signed H.R. 1042, the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, into law May 13, 2024.  This bipartisan legislative action prohibits the import of Russian uranium products into the United States as of August 12, 2024, while enabling a waiver process with the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Departments of State and Commerce, through January 1, 2028, consistent with the law.

Nuclear Fuel Security Act,
2024

Requires the US Department of Energy (DOE) to establish programs to build up stockpile reserves .

On March 8th, 2024, Congress made available to the Department of Energy $2.72 billion to carry out the Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023 by establishing and expanding enrichment and conversion services to meet U.S. domestic nuclear fuel requirements while working with our allies and partners in the event of a supply disruption.

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024

Provides $2.72 Billion towards funding the provisions of the NFSA. A further $700M is being added by DOE for a total of up to $3.4 Billion.

 In March 2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which, among other priorities, provided $2.72 billion for increasing U.S. domestic nuclear fuel supply chain capacity to meet the needs of U.S. operating nuclear reactors and future reactor designs.

Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law:

$6Bn Nuclear Credit Program

The Civil Nuclear Credit Program is a $6 billion strategic investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to help preserve the existing U.S. reactor fleet and save thousands of high-paying jobs across the country.)

Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, 2024

Bipartisan legislation to provide a major boost to the future of nuclear energy in America.

The ADVANCE Act will:

  • Facilitate American Nuclear Energy Leadership by:
    • Empowering the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to lead in international forums to develop regulations for advanced nuclear reactors.
    • Directing the Department of Energy (DOE) to improve its process for approving the export of American technology to international markets, while maintaining strong standards for nuclear non-proliferation.
  • Support Development and Deployment of New Nuclear Energy Technologies by:
    • Reducing regulatory costs for companies seeking to license advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
    • Creating a prize to incentivize the successful deployment of next-generation reactor technologies.
    • Requiring the NRC to develop a pathway to enable the timely licensing of microreactors and nuclear facilities at brownfield and retired fossil-fuel energy generation sites.
    • Directing the NRC to establish an accelerated licensing review process to site and construct reactors at existing nuclear sites.
  • Preserve Existing Nuclear Energy by:
    • Modernizing outdated rules that restrict international investment.
  • Strengthen America’s Nuclear Energy Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain Infrastructure by:
    • Directing the NRC to enhance its ability to qualify and license accident-tolerant fuels and advanced nuclear fuels that can increase safety and economic competitiveness for existing reactors and the next generation of advanced reactors.
    • Tasking the NRC to evaluate advanced manufacturing techniques to build nuclear reactors better, faster, cheaper, and smarter.
  • Improve Commission Resources and Efficiency by:
    • Providing flexibility for the NRC to better manage and invest its resources in activities that support NRC’s modernization efforts and address staffing issues.
    • Providing the NRC Chair the tools to hire and retain exceptionally well-qualified individuals to successfully and safely review and process applications for advanced nuclear reactor licenses.
    • Requiring the NRC to update its Mission Statement to reflect modern beneficial use of nuclear material and energy.
    • Mandating the NRC to establish a licensing structure to support an efficient, timely, and predictable regulatory review.
    • Charging the NRC to streamline the NEPA environmental review process.
  • Source: SIGNED: Bipartisan ADVANCE Act to Boost Nuclear Energy Now Law – Minority News – U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2024

was signed into law by President Biden in April 2024

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 includes language backed by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and ranking member Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), to promote the domestic availability of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) to fuel advanced reactors and direct the Department of Energy to create a “Nuclear Fuel Security Program.”

Why Nuclear?

Most people immediately think of solar panels or wind turbines when they hear the term clean energy; nuclear is often left out of the clean energy conversation despite it being the second largest source of low-carbon electricity in the world behind hydropower.

FACT

Nuclear is a Clean, Carbon-Free Energy Source

It is the largest source of carbon-free electricity in the United States and protects our air quality by generating electricity without other harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, or mercury.

FACT

Nuclear has a Small Land Footprint

Despite producing massive amounts of carbon-free power, nuclear energy produces more electricity on less land than any other clean-air source. A typical 1,000-megawatt nuclear facility in the United States needs a little more than 1 square mile to operate. NEI says wind farms require 360 times more land area to produce the same amount of electricity and solar photovoltaic plants require 75 times more space. To put that in perspective, you would need more than 3 million solar panels to produce the same amount of power as a typical commercial reactor, or more than 430 wind turbines (capacity factor not included).

FACT

Nuclear is Powerful

One uranium fuel pellet—about the size of a gummy bear—creates as much energy as one ton of coal, 149 gallons of oil or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. A single nuclear power reactor generates enough electricity on average to power over 700,000 homes without emitting any greenhouse gases—that’s more than enough to power a city the size of Philadelphia. In fact, America’s 94 nuclear plants produce enough electricity to power 75 million homes.

FACT

Nuclear is Safe

Despite common misconceptions, nuclear energy is one of the safest sources and has seen dramatic changes over the last 50 years to make the technology even safer and more efficient.

Comparative death rates per unit of electricity production

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Nuclear is a Clean, Carbon-Free Energy Source

It is the largest source of carbon-free electricity in the United States and protects our air quality by generating electricity without other harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, or mercury.

Nuclear has a Small Land Footprint

Despite producing massive amounts of carbon-free power, nuclear energy produces more electricity on less land than any other clean-air source. A typical 1,000-megawatt nuclear facility in the United States needs a little more than 1 square mile to operate. NEI says wind farms require 360 times more land area to produce the same amount of electricity and solar photovoltaic plants require 75 times more space. To put that in perspective, you would need more than 3 million solar panels to produce the same amount of power as a typical commercial reactor, or more than 430 wind turbines (capacity factor not included).

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infographic Windmill v2 (1)

Nuclear is Powerful

FastFactsNuclear

One uranium fuel pellet—about the size of a gummy bear—creates as much energy as one ton of coal, 149 gallons of oil or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. A single nuclear power reactor generates enough electricity on average to power over 700,000 homes without emitting any greenhouse gases—that’s more than enough to power a city the size of Philadelphia. In fact, America’s 94 nuclear plants produce enough electricity to power 75 million homes.

Nuclear is Safe

Despite common misconceptions, nuclear energy is one of the safest sources and has seen dramatic changes over the last 50 years to make the technology even safer and more efficient.

Comparative death rates per unit of electricity production

chartarrow@3x

Industry Updates

Nuclear utility contracting to secure long-term requirements for conversion and enrichment services has continued into 2024

Higher prices across the fuel cycle and annual contracting activity that is getting closer to the rate required to replace what is consumed annually, indicate that utilities are returning their focus to secure the uranium necessary to feed those services.

enCore Energy expects continued competition among utilities to secure long-term contracts for uranium products and services with proven producers who demonstrate strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and from assets in geopolitically attractive jurisdictions on terms that will ensure the availability of reliable supply to satisfy demand.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has released its annual outlook for nuclear power in the coming decades, revising up its global growth projections for a third straight year

In both its high and low case scenarios, the IAEA now envisions 25 percent more nuclear energy capacity installed by 2050 than it did as recently as 2020, which underscores how a growing number of countries are looking to nuclear to address the challenges of energy security, climate change, and economic development.

Several non-nuclear countries continue to emerge as candidates for new nuclear capacity

In the European Union (EU), specific nuclear energy projects have been identified for inclusion under its sustainable financing taxonomy and are therefore eligible for access to low-cost financing. In some countries where phase-out policies were previously in place, there have been policy reversals and potential reactor life extensions with public opinion polls showing growing support.