Building future nuclear power fleets: The available uranium resources constraint
Abstract According to almost all forward-looking studies, the world′s energy consumption will increase in the future decades, mostly because of the growing world population and the long-term development of emerging countries. The effort to contain global warming makes it hard to exclude nuclear energy from the global energy mix. The availability of natural uranium resources is a major constraint in terms of meeting this demand. In line with the scenarios floated by various international organisations and taking into consideration only current uranium-consuming light water reactors technologies with slow neutrons, 4 to 7 Mt of uranium could be consumed by 2050, namely, all identified or know…
A critical assessment of global uranium resources, including uranium in phosphate rocks, and the possible impact of uranium shortages on nuclear power fleets
International audience