EU mulls uranium imports from Namibia

The European Union’s (EU) nuclear agency Euratom has said it could diversify its uranium imports in up to three years, including from Namibia, Reuters reports.

Euratom said this in reaction to the possibility that Niger might cut its deliveries of uranium to the bloc.

"If imports from Niger are being cut, there are no immediate risks to the security of nuclear power production in the short term," said Euratom.

Niger was the second-largest supplier of natural uranium to the European Union last year.

France - a leading nuclear power producer in Europe and Niger's former colonial power - said on Tuesday it would evacuate French and European citizens after the overthrow of the country's democratically elected government.

Euratom said utilities in the bloc had enough uranium inventories to fuel its nuclear power reactors for three years.

The EU's executive European Commission also said the 27-nation bloc had "sufficient inventories of uranium to mitigate any short-term supply risks".

"Medium and long-term, there are enough deposits on the world market" to cover EU needs, a spokesman for the executive said.

Euratom said that in 2022 Niger delivered 2 975 tU of natural uranium, or 25.4% of the EU's supplies. Kazakhstan was the biggest supplier for the bloc, with Canada third.

The agency said natural uranium equivalent in inventories owned by EU utilities last year totalled 35,710 tU, compared to average annual consumption of around 12 500 tU.- Reuters