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US Nuclear Fuel Imports and Exports in 2007

Netherlands and Russia Provide America with Most Nuclear Materials

Aug 9, 2008

Nuclear Power Plant Radioactive Waste, tira25@morguefile.com (14024)

Uranium prices soared last year as the United States grew its nuclear materials imports and exports with impressive double digit gains.

With the U.S. economy slowing dramatically this summer, it should come as no surprise that nuclear products are less in demand and uranium prices are falling.

In 2007, America spent $5.5 billion to buy nuclear fuels and related materials from other supplying countries – a 39% gain from last year and a 91.3% rise since 2003.

During the same period, the United States exported US$2.4 billion worth of nuclear fuel materials from the rest of the world. That statistic represents a 33% increase from 2006 and a 54.7% increase since 2003.

Top Countries Providing Nuclear Fuel to U.S.

Last year, America imported almost half of its foreign nuclear fuel supplies from the Netherlands, Russia, Canada and France.

Netherlands … US$1.1 billion (19.4% of world total for US nuclear fuel material imports)
Russia … $935.8 million (16.9%)
Canada … $610 million (11%)
France … $508.7 million (9.2%)
Germany … $429.4 million (7.7%)
Belgium … $42.8 million (0.8%)
South Africa … $7 million (0.1%)
Switzerland … $4.4 million (0.06%)
Romania … $3.9 million (0.05%)
Israel … $3 million (0.05%).

Biggest Nuclear Sales Percentage Increases by Supplying Country

Among exporters of nuclear fuels and related materials to America, the Netherlands led with the highest percentage sales gains.

Netherlands … US$1.1 billion (up 122.7% from 2006, up 460.6% from 2003)
France … $508.7 million (up 82.1%, down 8.8%)
Belgium … $42.8 million (up 78.9%, up 2,411.4%)
Germany … $429.4 million (up 56.9%, up 173.8%)
Italy … $451,000 (up 26.3%, up 204.7%)
Czech Republic … $1.5 million (up 16.5%, up 101.1%)
Romania … $3.9 million (up 13.8%, up from Nil in 2003)
Switzerland … $4.4 million (up 11.7%, up 55.8%)
Russia … $935.8 million (up 4.9%, 0.1%)
Canada … $610.1 million (up 1.7%, up 169.1%).

Down 94.6% from 2006, China shipped only $2.8 million worth of nuclear materials to the U.S. in 2007.

U.S. Nuclear Fuel Material Exports by Country

Below are the top 10 importing countries, consuming 95.7% of total U.S. nuclear shipments in 2007. Japan, Netherlands, South Korea and United Kingdom bought about 80% of American-exported nuclear fuel materials last year.

Japan … US$824 million (33.9% of US nuclear fuel materials exports)
Netherlands … $723.3 million (29.8%)
South Korea … $209 million (8.6%)
United Kingdom … $184.7 million (7.6%)
Taiwan … $114.2 million (4.7%)
Germany … $69.7 million (2.9%)
Canada … $69 million (2.8%)
France … $62.7 million (2.6%)
Mexico … $36.4 million (1.5%)
Sweden … $33.3 million (1.4%).

Biggest Nuclear Sales Percentage Increases by Importing Country

The following countries grew their purchases of U.S. nuclear supplies by the highest percentage.

Sweden … US$33.3 million (up 451.8% from 2006, up 47% from 2003)
Russia … $16.6 million (up 395%, down 83.7%)
Netherlands … $723.3 million (up 205.5%, 505.8%)
Saudi Arabia … $5.4 million (up 131.9%, up 394.3%)
Austria … $2.4 million (up 124.3%, up 74.7%)
Taiwan … $114.2 million (up 63.7%, up 69.5%)
Germany … $69.7 million (up 59.4%, down 16.8%)
South Korea … $209 million (up 57.4%, down 100.5%)
Mexico … $36.4 million (up 46.6%, up 82.2%)
Japan … $824 million (up 41.5%, up 1.9%).

In contrast, France decreased its purchases of American nuclear fuel products by 42% to $62.7 million while the U.K. cut back by an even more aggressive 59.5% to $184.7 million.

References

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on data drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau – Foreign Trade Statistics.

The copyright of the article US Nuclear Fuel Imports and Exports in 2007 in Import/Export is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish US Nuclear Fuel Imports and Exports in 2007 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.