UK invests over $380M in nuclear fuel to reduce dependence on Russia

The United Kingdom will invest more than $380 million to launch a high-tech nuclear fuel production program (HALEU) for nuclear reactors.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the British government.

The launch of the HALEU program will enable the UK to supply the world with specialized nuclear fuel and further isolate Putin's Russia, the statement said.

The purpose of the investment is to increase the supply of nuclear fuel for new nuclear projects in the country, as well as to reduce global dependence on nuclear fuel supplies from Russia.

The program will produce enriched uranium, which is necessary for the operation of next-generation reactors. It will provide jobs and investment in northwestern England.

The UK has given the world its first operational nuclear power plant and it will now be the first country in Europe (outside of Russia) to produce modern nuclear fuel, Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, said.

The press service said that the investment is part of plans to provide up to 24 GW of clean and reliable nuclear power by 2050, which is a quarter of the UK's electricity needs.

In addition, the British government will allocate an additional 10 million pounds (more than 12.7 million U.S. dollars) to develop skills and sites to produce other advanced nuclear fuels.

As reported, on December 11, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a law banning uranium imports from Russia for nuclear power plants.