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Show ERDA issues report of survey of uranium marketing The Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) this week issued its annual report on commercial marketing arrangements for the supply of uranium fuel to domestic nuclear power plants. The report, "Survey of United States Uranium Marketing Mar-keting Activity," (ERDA 77-46) 77-46) reflects data as of January 1, 1977, and covers fuel arrangements for 207 civilian nuclear power reactors. Information was furnished by 70 utilities, 5 reactor manufacturers, and 38 actual or potential uranium producers, produc-ers, representing virtually all principal companies involved in uranium marketing activities. activi-ties. Domestic uranium buying activity reached its highest level during 1976, resulting in a net additional procurement of 83,400 tons of U308 in uranium concentrate. This total exceeds the previous high of 45,800 tons in 1973, and is over 5 times as great as the 16,200 tons in 1975. The survey indicates that buyers are pursuing direct involvement in U308 produc tion to obtain their fuel supplies, with 25 utilities participating in uranium raw materials activities in one stage or another. Almost half of the 83,400-ton additional supply is scheduled to come from mine production that is directly controlled by uranium buyers; The amount of foreign uranium purchased by domestic domes-tic buyers increased only 1,800 tons in 1976, compared to a 4,400 ton increase in 1975. Average prices reported in the 1977 survey exhibited a uniform, and in most cases, a substantial increase over the 1976-1985 period compared with those reported in the 1976 survey. The $16.10 average price per pound of U308 for deliveries in 1976 was an increase from $10.70 reported in the January 1, 1976, survey. .The price section of the report also includes a comparison of price ranges reported as of January 1, 1976 and 1977, the distribution of prices reported this year, and the distribution of types of procurement for the 1977 to 1985 period. The average uranium price for contracted deliveries during 1977 is $15.00 per pound of U308. Uranium supply arrangements arrange-ments are summarized in the report for reactors operating, under construction, and on order. These arrangements are shown according to coverage cover-age for first cores and reloads by status of the reactor and by source of supply (percent of megawatt generating capacity), capaci-ty), and on an annual basis by source of supply. Over the past year, there has Cen a substantial increase in arrangements ar-rangements for the uranium fuel supply. The report also includes data on uranium buyer inventories, inven-tories, industry reported unfilled un-filled needs, an estimate of the potential market for uranium, and sale of domestic uranium to foreign buyers. A copy of the report may be obtained by writing to John A. Patterson, Chief, Supply Evaluation Eval-uation Branch, Division of Uranium Resources and Enrichment, En-richment, Energy Research 4pd Development Administration, Administra-tion, Washington, D. C. 20545, It is also available at the Puplic Document Room at 20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D. C. |