Study of the supply and demand in global uranium enrichment market

After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, the global capacity increase of nuclear power was lower than expected. The international uranium enrichment market has been oversupplied for many years, and the market price has entered the downtrend channel for a long time. In order to have alternative income, some uranium enrichment companies provide natural uranium products by applying the underfeeding and tails re-enrichment. The enrichment market positions in Europe and the United States have been fully occupied. Rosatom, Urenco and Orano have occupied the main share of the western enrichment market by years of brand and price advantages, which make the emerging enrichment suppliers more difficult to take a market position. Today's international enrichment market has become a buyer's market, and some international enrichment suppliers are continually trying to enter Chinese market in order to compete for the limited market shares. At present, China's enrichment capacity is abundant. Selling enrichment service abroad is an effective way to solve that problem. However, There is still a long way in terms of capabilities, technology and economics for China's nuclear fuel industry to compete with international enrichment companies in the global market. Facing those market challenges today, protection on domestic enrichment market should be conducted in China. (authors)