America needs 180,000,000 Pounds of Uranium, and they All in Asia, but Time is Running out for America
With America preparing to meet the country’s energy demands while utilizing AI, the country requires the supply of one vital fuel for nuclear power, uranium. Without the supply of uranium, America will be unable to meet the energy demand that it wishes to meet successfully. The main obstacle is that America will need up to 180,000,000 to 200,000,000 pounds of uranium annually. None of the uranium that America is in need of comes from within American borders, and most of the uranium can be found within the borders of countries like Russia or Kazakhstan.
Meeting the demand and supply curve for uranium
As has been stated by the nuclear fuel research firm UxC, at present, about 45 million pounds of uranium concentrate (U308) is being consumed annually. After the signing of executive orders by President Donald Trump in favor of the fourfold increase in nuclear energy, the demand for uranium will increase to 400 gigawatts by 2050. Looking at that practically, it means that America would need 180-200 million pounds of uranium yearly.
This demand is further increased due to the rise in AI infrastructure. As per a 2024 report produced by the Electric Power Research Institute, large data centers will be believed to use about 9% of U.S energy, and that too as has been projected by 2030.
While nuclear energy is the right direction for America to take, the pathway to get to this clean energy solution requires an abundance of uranium, which America does not have, but Asia does.
Asia dominates the uranium game
With Mark Zuckerberg and Meta already testing the most powerful energy and pushing forward 20-year nuclear deals, the sore point remains that the U.S. does not have enough uranium and doesn’t produce it at scale. By the year 2023, America was only able to produce 50,000 pounds of uranium concentrate. The U.S. imports about 32 million pounds of uranium concentrate from countries such as Canada, Australia, and Russia. Even if the U.S. can improve uranium production, the country will still not meet its demand in terms of the 300,000 pounds or so of uranium that it will then be able to produce.
Asia, however, is in possession of this uranium that America so desperately needs. In fact:
- 50 million pounds of uranium were produced in Kazakhstan alone, amounting to approximately 43% of the world’s total output.
- Russia is a key player in the uranium sector despite contributing less than Kazakhstan in terms of mining output. Russia does control 38% of the global uranium enrichment capacity.
The U.S. is in a position where the main suggestion would be to depend on foreign sources of nuclear fuel. America does need uranium to be at the forefront of the nuclear power era, which makes the ability to envision a nuclear-powered future more difficult.
How can America beat the clock to find a uranium supply?
Time seems to be running out for America to step up its uranium game; however, according to executive orders from the Trump Administration, the idea is to fast-track domestic uranium production. With over 2,000 holes being drilled in 2023 in comparison to the 260 holes drilled in 2021, the U.S. is already stepping up to the plate and making some effort.
The setback, however, is that permitting uranium mines throughout the U.S. takes between eight and ten years. With that setback, it is difficult to understand how America can meet its goal of producing 180 million pounds of uranium yearly. The truth is that uranium lies beyond the borders of America and can be found in abundance in Asia. Google may be finding new energy for millennia; however, whether America can supply enough uranium to meet its energy demand remains to be explored.
