Kazakhstan, the world’s largest uranium miner, is conducting “active work” to boost exports of the metal to US energy companies as Washington seeks ways to reduce its reliance on Russia.

The country’s energy ministry said in a statement on 25 March that cooperation in the energy sector had been discussed at a meeting with US senator Steve Daines on Tuesday.

Kazakhstan already has contracts to supply uranium products until 2032 with firms including Southern Company, Constellation Energy and Duke Energy, it said. All three operate commercial nuclear power plants in the US. Constellation’s reactor fleet is the largest in the US with 21 units.