Britain said on Monday its 75-million-pound ($90.5 million) fund aimed at helping boost domestic production of nuclear fuel for power plants and cutting reliance on Russian uranium supplies was now open for applications.
The fund, announced in July, will award grants to businesses involved in uranium conversion, a key stage in the process of creating nuclear fuel from the metal. It will remain open for applications from Monday until Feb. 20.
Russia currently owns around 20% of global uranium conversion capacity.
Record high global gas prices, caused by Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, have highlighted the need for more home-grown renewable energy, but also the UK generated nuclear power – building more plants, and developing domestic fuel capability,” Minister for Energy and Climate Graham Stuart said.
Up to 13 million pounds from the fund has already been awarded to the Springfields nuclear fuel manufacturing site in northwest England, the government said.
