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.
Daniel Workman - A senior business and finance writer who also does French translations, notably international trade and insurance materials.
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