Chunks of uranium ore sit beside a container of powdered ore. With conversion capacity concentrated in just five plants worldwide, cutting off Russian uranium could leave the West dependent on China to keep its reactors running. (Shutterstock/RHJPhtotos)

A Uranium Conversion Bottleneck Could Leave Millions in the Dark

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The West needs more converted uranium than it can process, and cutting off Russian supply could leave its reactors dependent on a single Chinese facility.

To keep the lights on in the West every year, the nuclear reactor fleet requires approximately 44,000 metric tons of uranium feedstock. Western supply lines are estimated to have processing capability of just 34,000 metric tons when fully operational. Traditionally, reactors have relied on Russian or Chinese fuel producers to make up the shortfall, but as global trade corridors constrict and relationships become contentious, over-reliance on Russian or Chinese nuclear fuelcould represent a serious national security risk.

Why Uranium Conversion Is the West’s Weakest Link

The nuclear energy supply chain starts at a mine that draws uranium out of the earth in a form known as yellowcake. This yellowcake is sent to a conversion plant, where it is converted to uranium hexafluoride before being sent to an enrichment facility, and finally to a fabrication plant, where it is made into one of........

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