Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross took a first step to expanding the trade war to uranium Wednesday, saying that he would launch an investigation into whether quotas should be used to restrict imports in the name of national security.
But utilities with nuclear plants fear such actions would raise the cost of electricity and nuclear experts said the military already has stockpiles big enough to last for decades.
“Our production of uranium necessary for military and electric power has dropped from 49 percent of our consumption to 5 percent,” Ross said in a statement. That change took place over 30 years, he said.
Much of the imported uranium comes from friendly nations. In 2017, Canada and Australia provided more than half of U.S. uranium consumption, Commerce said. Russia provided 16 percent...