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Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) introduced the bicameral Nuclear Fuel Security Act to establish and expand critical U.S. nuclear fuel programs to boost domestic uranium mining, production, enrichment, and conversion capacity.

Latta’s bill is the House companion to legislation introduced in the Senate earlier this week by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Jim Risch (R-ID).

“After leading the world for decades in the development of nuclear energy, the United States has fallen behind its allies and rivals and has seen its competitive edge diminish,” Latta said. “This lack of investment has forced the U.S. to import 90 percent of the uranium fuel used in our nuclear reactors from foreign countries. Overreliance on other nations for nuclear fuel is a threat to our national security and our energy independence. To avoid threats to our nuclear supply chain, we must build up our domestic uranium mining, production, enrichment and conversion, and support nuclear innovation right here at home. The Nuclear Fuel Security Act will set us on the right path to strengthen our nuclear energy capabilities, lower carbon emissions, create new job, spur economic growth, and provide for a safer America.”

“It’s time for America to ramp up uranium production so we can eliminate our dependence on Russia,” Barrasso said. “We are stronger and safer as a nation when our nuclear fuel supply chain starts at home. Our bipartisan legislation will strengthen American energy security. It will ensure our existing reactors and advanced reactors – like TerraPower’s Natrium reactor – have access to American uranium.”

Background on the Nuclear Fuel Security Act:

This legislation would authorize the Secretary of Energy to: 

• establish the Nuclear Fuel Security Program to increase the quantity of low-enriched uranium (LEU) and high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) produced by U.S. nuclear energy companies, 
• expand the American Assured Fuel Supply Program to ensure the availability of domestically produced, converted, and enriched uranium in the event of a supply disruption, and
• establish the HALEU for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Demonstration Projects Program to maximize the potential for DOE to meet the needs and schedules of advanced nuclear reactor developers until such time that commercial enrichment and deconversion capability for HALEU exists in the U.S. at a scale sufficient to meet future needs and, where practicable, partner with countries that are allies or partners of the U.S. to meet those needs and schedules until that time. 

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