US Congress needs to take swift action to build a domestic supply of high-assay low-enriched uranium (Haleu) to fuel advanced reactors and reduce the country’s dependence on Russian state-owned uranium producers, the American Nuclear Society said in a 14 September letter to senators.

In the letter, sent to senators Joe Manchin, Democrat chair of the Senate energy and natural resources committee, and Republican John Barrasso, the committee’s ranking member, ANS president Steven Nesbit and chief executive officer Craig Piercy note that while many advanced reactor designs – including nine of the 10 designs awarded funding under the Department of Energy’s advanced reactor demonstration programme – require Haleu as reactor fuel, it is currently available only in limited amounts from the DOE via downblending of existing stockpiles of material and from Russian imports.