House subcommittee passes uranium mining bill for nuclear fuel programs

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security approved a bill this week that would boost domestic uranium mining, production, enrichment, and conversion capacity for nuclear fuel programs.

The Nuclear Fuel Security Act (H.R. 5718), introduced by U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) and Jim Clyburn (D-SC), would authorize the Secretary of Energy to establish the Nuclear Fuel Security Program to increase the quantity of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), and potentially low-enriched uranium (LEU) produced by U.S. nuclear energy companies.

The bill would also expand the American Assured Fuel Supply Program to ensure the availability of domestically produced, converted, and enriched uranium in the event of a supply disruption. Further, the bill would establish the HALEU for Advanced Nuclear Reactor Demonstration Projects Program to maximize the potential for DOE to meet the needs of advanced nuclear reactor developers.

“As a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, I’m committed to advancing policies that embrace an all-of-the-above energy strategy, which includes expanding our nuclear energy capabilities,” Latta said. “Rather than being forced to import mass quantities of uranium fuel from foreign countries to power our domestic nuclear reactors, my Nuclear Fuel Security Act will allow the United States to produce and stockpile our own source of nuclear energy.”