# Nuclear Fuel Security Act: What You Need to Know

This bill is about making sure the United States has enough nuclear fuel to power new advanced nuclear reactors and doesn't have to rely on other countries for this critical resource. Right now, America doesn't produce much of the specialized nuclear fuel that newer reactor designs need, which creates a vulnerability if other countries cut off supplies or if there's a disruption in the global market.

The bill creates three main programs to boost domestic nuclear fuel production. First, it establishes a Nuclear Fuel Security Program that requires the Department of Energy to buy at least 100 metric tons per year of standard uranium fuel and 20 metric tons per year of a more specialized fuel called HALEU (high-assay, low-enriched uranium) from American companies by 2026 and 2027. The goal is to jump-start American uranium mining, processing, and enrichment companies so they can scale up production and create jobs. Second, the bill expands an existing program called the American Assured Fuel Supply to maintain a strategic reserve of nuclear fuel—similar to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for oil—that can be released if there's a supply emergency. Third, it creates a special program to provide HALEU to advanced reactor demonstration projects that the government is already funding, with specific deadlines to deliver fuel starting in 2024.

The bill emphasizes buying American whenever possible, though it allows the Department of Energy to partner with allied countries if domestic options aren't available. It also includes protections to prevent the government from disrupting the private nuclear fuel market by competing unfairly with American companies. Money from selling fuel will go into a special fund that can be used to buy more fuel, creating a self-sustaining system. For everyday Americans, this means potentially more nuclear power plants coming online in the future, which could provide clean electricity, though the bill itself doesn't directly affect consumers' energy bills or access to power.

Nuclear Fuel Security Act

Latta, Robert E.

Nuclear Fuel Security Act This bill establishes new programs and expands existing programs to increase domestic supplies of certain types of low-enriched uranium. First, the Department of Energy (DOE) must establish a program to increase the production of certain types of low-enriched uranium by U.S. nuclear energy companies. Second, DOE must expand the existing American Assured Fuel Supply Program to ensure the availability of certain types of domestically produced uranium in the event of a supply disruption. Third, DOE must establish a demonstration program to make certain types of low-enriched uranium available from its inventories, stockpiles, or allies to meet the needs and schedules of advanced nuclear reactor developers until such time that commercial enrichment and deconversion capability for the uranium exists in the United States at a scale sufficient to meet future needs.