A Nascent Renaissance – Part II: Confronting Nuclear Energy Fuel Supply Chain Challenges

Introduction

In the previous bulletin of our A Nascent Renaissance series on nuclear energy, we outlined the evolving role of nuclear energy as part of the solution to address climate change. In this second installment, we explore important nuclear fuel supply challenges facing Canada and other countries, including commercial, trade, regulatory, and geopolitical constraints. These challenges must be navigated while simultaneously cultivating political, public, and international support.

What is the Process for Making Nuclear Fuel?

In comparison to fossil fuels which can largely be delivered for use once extracted, the nuclear fuel supply cycle involves a number of complexities. First, uranium must undergo a number of processing steps prior to its use in a nuclear reactor, typically including mining, milling, conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication. For certain stages – conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication – there are only a select few specialists