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Show tUDA Issues lieport of Survey of U.S. Uranium Marketing Activity in '75 The Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) today issued its annual report on commercial marketing arrangements for the supply of uranium fuel to nuclear power plants. Domestic uranium buying activity in the United States was slightly below the 1974 pace. During 1975, domestic uranium procurement commitments commit-ments increased by. a total of 14,500 tons of uranium oxide (U308) compared to the 15,700 tons increase in 1974. The amount of foreign uranium purchased by domestic domes-tic buyers fell sharply from the 1974 level. New import commitments com-mitments in 1975 were 4,400 tons compared to 33,000 tons in 1974. The report, "Survey of United States Uranium Marketing Mar-keting Activity" (ERDA 76-46), 76-46), reflects data as of January 1, 1976. Information was furnished by 70 utilities, 5 reactor manufacturers and 33 uranium producers or potential potenti-al future producers. The report covers fuel arrangements for 210 civilian nuclear power reactors. The report includes information informa-tion on prices for uranium to be delivered under contracts as of January 1, 1976. The average price per pound of uranium oxide (U308) for deliveries in 1975 was $10.50, compared to $8.45 reported in a July 1975 price survey, indicating price adjustments are being made to earlier contracts. Prices for future deliveries, under contract as of January 1, 1976, increase from an average of $10.70 per lb. in 1976 to $16.35 for 1982 deliveries. The range of estimates of prices to be paid each year through 1985 is also presented. The high prices in each year through 1982 varies between S30 and $40 per pound of U308. Uranium supply arrangements arrange-ments are summarized in the report for reactors operating, under construction, and ordered. order-ed. These arrangements are shown according to coverage for first cores and reloads by source of supply, and on an annual basis. Over the past year, there has been an overall decline in the coverage of urahium supply arrangements for reactors. The report also includes data on buyer uranium inventories, inven-tories, industry reported unfilled un-filled needs for uranium in the years 1976 through 1985, and sale of uranium to foreign buyers. While procurement in 1975 was at fairly low levels, information available since January 1, 1976 indicates a substantial upturn in uranium procurement activity. This is considered a consequence of the higher uranium prices, an increasing ability of producers to make sales contracts, and an increased buyer effort to arrange for an assured future uranium supply. A copy of the report may be obtained by writing to John A. Patterson, Chief, Supply Evaluation Eval-uation Branch, Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Production, Pro-duction, Energy Research and Development Administration, Washington, D.C., 20545 or Technical Library, Grand Junction Office, ERDA, P.O. Box 1569, Grand Junction, Colorado, 81501. It is also available at the Public Document Docu-ment Room at 20 Massachusetts Massachu-setts Avenue, Washington, D.C. |