DENVER—Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Dale Klein, in Colorado and Wyoming Tuesday to meet with uranium industry representatives and tour a mine, said it’s a busy time at his agency.
Rising uranium prices and demand for energy worldwide have led to a resurgence of the industry that had dropped off in the 1990s. The price of uranium has shot up as high as $100 per pound after plummeting to about $10 per pound in 2002.
“What we’re seeing in terms of the world demand for uranium is that it’s really shooting up,” Klein said. “China wants to build 40 new reactors by 2050.”
India and Japan continue expanding their nuclear-power programs.
Klein said the NRC expects to receive more than 20 applications for uranium mines. Some states, including Colorado and Utah, have their own oversight agencies.
As a regulator, Klein said his job isn’t to promote the industry. “That’s the Department of Energy’s job.”
The commission’s job is to ensure public safety and security and protect the environment, Klein said.
One of the concerns due to the upsurge in the industry is making sure there are enough qualified employees. While in Denver, Klein handed out $515,000 in grants to the Colorado School of Mines in Golden for education related to the nuclear industry to try to expand the work force.
Klein also met with members of the International Forum on Sustainable Options for Uranium Production, a nonprofit group promoting the industry. He planned to tour a Wyoming uranium mine Wednesday. The Smith-Highland Ranch in-situ mine north of Douglas is owned by the Canadian-based Cameco Resources.
In-situ leach mining involves injecting substances underground to extract the uranium. Critics have warned that proposed uranium mine near Nunn in northeast Colorado could contaminate groundwater.
Klein said companies need to educate the public about the process and do the monitoring required to ensure safety.
