In London, the UK unveiled plans on Sunday to pioneer the production of an advanced uranium fuel, aiming to challenge Russia’s monopoly on the commercially available product in Europe. The British government announced a £300 million ($382 million) investment to establish a high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) program, aiming to reduce reliance on Moscow in the global energy market.
Claire Coutinho, the energy secretary, emphasized the move as a stand against Vladimir Putin’s influence, stating, “We stood up to Putin on oil and gas and financial markets. We won’t let him hold us to ransom on nuclear fuel.” She underscored the significance of this initiative for domestic and international energy security, capitalizing on Britain’s historical competitive advantages.
HALEU fuel is crucial for powering the next generation of advanced nuclear reactors, including smaller modular versions that the UK intends to utilize. Notably, it contains uranium-235, ranging between five to twenty percent, surpassing the typical five percent level used in most current nuclear plants.
While HALEU production has recently commenced in the United States, commercial-scale manufacturing remains exclusive to a Russian facility, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The UK’s investment forms part of its strategy to generate up to 24 gigawatts of nuclear-powered electricity by 2050, constituting a quarter of the nation’s energy requirements.
The inaugural plant is set to be situated in northwest England, projected to commence operations by the 2030s. The government aims to source 95 percent of Britain’s electricity from low-carbon sources by 2030 and achieve complete decarbonization of the grid by 2035.
However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced criticism for delaying the ban on petrol and diesel cars until 2035, five years later than previously proposed. Critics argued that this delay could complicate the UK’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.