Russian Uranium Dominance Leaves U.S. Scrambling to Catch Up

The Biden administration is working to accelerate domestic uranium production despite environmental concerns, as the U.S. seeks to lessen reliance on Russia amid possible sanctions on the country’s atomic energy company.

The Energy Department is moving forward with two programs established in 2020—the Strategic Uranium Reserve and HALEU Availability Program—that could bolster fuel supplies for the existing nuclear fleet and for future reactors, a senior DOE official told Bloomberg Law.

The DOE is preparing requests for proposals for both programs as quickly as possible, including purchasing uranium from U.S. producers for a national reserve and spurring more enrichment facilities.

Russia’s ...