Energy companies applaud Trump’s decision not to set domestic uranium production quotas

Energy companies recently praised President Donald Trump’s decision to take “no action” on proposed quotas for domestic uranium production.

Trump declined to issue the proposed quotas on Friday and instead ordered a 90-day governmental review.

“Duke Energy’s mission is to deliver affordable, reliable, safe and clean energy for our customers,” Duke Energy, which operates 11 nuclear units at six sites in North and South Carolina, said in a statement. “To that end, Duke Energy applauds President Trump’s decision on the uranium 232 petition. Simply put, the President’s action ensures Americans can continue to rely on nuclear energy to keep power bills low, the lights on 24/7 and, with zero carbon and other air emissions, our environment clean. We look forward to collaborating with the Nuclear Working Group to craft clean energy policies that benefit all Americans.”

Petitions from Colorado-based Energy Fuels Inc and Wyoming-based Ur-Energy Inc are seeking quotas that would require 25 percent of the U.S. uranium market be sourced domestically. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the United States sourced 7 percent of its uranium domestically in 2017, with significant imports coming from Canada, Australia, and Russia.

Trump said in a memorandum that he did not concur with a U.S. Commerce Department investigation that found that uranium imports threaten to impair U.S. national security.

He noted that the department’s findings “raise significant concerns” and ordered a review by the U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group, with input from several government agencies. The group will make “recommendations to further enable domestic nuclear fuel production if needed,” the memorandum said.

“Working through the Ad Hoc Utilities Group (AHUG) along with our peer nuclear companies, we have opposed quotas or other actions that could limit our ability to affordably and reliably operate our nuclear plants,” Entergy, which owns and operates eight nuclear units at six sites and provides support and management services to one site, said in a statement. “These facilities provide safe, reliable, and carbon-free power to our customers while helping keep rates low for our customers. That is why we opposed the imposition of quotas. We support the Administration’s ongoing efforts to ensure a vibrant domestic nuclear power industry.”