In a prior note (click here), we looked at uranium prices and the nuclear energy industry, highlighting a demand/supply imbalance that will need to be filled by new production capacity. Nuclear energy is a hotly contested debate among many, given the pros and cons of the fuel source, but it is also part of the conversation around decarbonization. Arguments for nuclear include: A reliable source of electricity which is not prone to intermittent issues that arise from renewable sources (i.e., wind and solar rely on weather conditions). Nuclear is a far less carbon-intensive fuel source compared to fossil fuels such

As COP 26 gets under way in Glasgow, Scotland, we take a closer look at uranium and the nuclear energy market. The host nation published its “Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener” report last month and made it clear that nuclear will play a key role in the U.K.’s achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The U.K. aims to decarbonize the power system by 2035 and become powered entirely by clean electricity, subject to security of supply. This will be done through a portfolio mix of renewable sources (i.e., wind, solar, hydrogen) in addition to nuclear power. With respect to nuclear,

Refresh this chart in your browser | Edit the chart in Datastream UK electricity prices have soared this year, prompting the collapse of two energy suppliers, which had been unable to pass on costs to consumers given a government-set price cap, which is likely to be raised in October. Gas prices in Europe have increased nearly tenfold over the last year and explain the sharp rise in electricity prices, since gas is now a key marginal supplier of electricity. The spike is a timely, albeit slightly uncomfortable, reminder of the difficulties associated with the clean energy transition ahead of the COP26 climate

Like a cinematic vision of Frankenstein’s monster, German utilities RWE and E.ON have just been given a reviving jolt of electricity. The country’s top court ruled on Wednesday that they can reclaim their payments of a nuclear fuel tax to the tune of more than 6 billion euros. Thus re-animated, they can now start looking for a mate. German power companies have scored two strikes against Chancellor Angela Merkel’s energy policy in the past six months. In December, the court ruled they should be compensated for Germany’s abrupt decision to shut down nuclear power plants after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Now