IAEA international conference on fuel supply chain for a sustainable nuclear power development

World Nuclear Association Director General Dr Sama Bilbao y León has called for greater certainty and long-term commitments across the nuclear fuel supply chain, highlighting the need to expand uranium mining and strengthen the industry’s capacity to support global nuclear growth. 

Speaking at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s International Conference on Fuel Supply Chain for Sustainable Nuclear Power Development in Vienna, Austria, on 13 October, Bilbao y León joined industry leaders to discuss the prospects for nuclear fuel supply and the challenges facing the sector as countries pursue ambitious nuclear expansion plans. 

The conference was held in cooperation with World Nuclear Association, OECD- Nuclear Energy Agency and World Nuclear Transport Institute with Dr Kaajal Desai, Senior Programme Lead, Fuel Cycle, and Sameh Melhem, Programme Lead, Radiological Protection invited to join the Scientific Programme Committee. It brought together stakeholders from across the nuclear fuel cycle to explore how the industry can meet growing demand, strengthen supply chains and advance more sustainable approaches to nuclear fuel production and management. 

Turning nuclear ambitions into fuel supply commitments 

Bilbao y León participated in the conference’s opening panel ‘Industry Prospects and Challenges Facing Rising Fuel Supply Demand’ alongside Tim Gitzel of Cameco, Nicolas Maes of Orano, Brian Mount of Dominion Energy and Soan Willy of Des Nedhe Group. 

The discussion highlighted the scale of the opportunity facing the nuclear industry, as well as the need to expand the fuel supply chain to support existing reactors, extensions to the operating lives of existing plants and planned new reactor construction. 

Meeting these ambitions will require investment across the entire front end of the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mining through to enrichment and fuel fabrication. Panellists discussed the importance of developing partnerships and creating the conditions for investment, including greater certainty about future demand. 

While the industry is investing in existing operations and considering the reactivation of previously closed mines, new mining capacity will also be needed. With the development of a new mine taking many years, decisions made today will shape the industry's ability to meet uranium demand in the next decade. 

The panel emphasized that utilities and reactor operators must provide stronger long-term demand signals to support these investments. Memoranda of understanding can establish intent, but longer-term contracts and greater clarity over future requirements are important to underpin the development of new supply. 

With around 80 new reactors expected to be built over the next decade, alongside extensions to the operating lives of existing plants, the need to act is immediate. Fuel suppliers need confidence that future demand will materialize, while utilities must plan to ensure that fuel is available when required. 

Building a sustainable and circular fuel cycle 

The discussion also considered how the nuclear industry can maximize the value of its resources while minimizing environmental and social impacts. 

Drawing on their shared connections to Saskatchewan, Canada, Tim Gitzel and Soan Willy highlighted the importance of sustainability and inclusion in uranium production, including making the most of available resources while minimizing impacts on local communities. 

The conversation extended beyond the front end of the fuel cycle to the potential of recycling used nuclear fuel. Nicolas Maes highlighted the considerable energy that remains in used fuel and the opportunity to recover and reuse valuable materials. 

Recycling can help make more efficient use of existing resources while providing another route for the responsible management of used nuclear fuel. Developing a more circular approach to the fuel cycle will be an important consideration as nuclear capacity expands. 

These discussions reflected the wider challenge facing the industry: building the capacity required for nuclear growth while maintaining high standards of environmental responsibility and ensuring that the benefits of development are shared. 

Supporting the next generation of nuclear leaders 

Alongside her participation in the conference, Sama joined a roundtable discussion on career pathways on the evening of 12 October, as part of the IAEA's Lise Meitner Programme. 

The programme provides women nuclear professionals with opportunities to develop their careers, broaden their experience and build international networks. The most recent cohort of participants spent a week in France visiting Orano facilities before attending the fuel supply chain conference in Vienna. 

The roundtable brought together participants at different stages of their careers with experienced leaders from across the nuclear fuel cycle. Discussions explored career development, professional growth and the opportunities available across industry, policy and communications. 

Bilbao y León shared insights into leadership and career progression, encouraging participants to make the most of opportunities to learn from others, develop their expertise and build connections across the sector. 

Developing the people and expertise needed to support nuclear expansion is an essential part of preparing the industry for future growth. Initiatives such as the Lise Meitner Programme help strengthen the talent pipeline while supporting greater representation of women in the nuclear sector. 

Watch Dr Sama Bilbao y León's remarks at the opening session of the IAEA conference.

Current and Future Workforce Needs in the Fuel Supply Chain

Dr Kaajal Desai, Senior Programme Lead, Fuel Cycle, moderated panel two on 13 October at the conference titled ‘Current and Future Workforce Needs in the Fuel Supply Chain for Sustainable Nuclear Power Development’. The panellists Robin Taylor of UK National Nuclear Laboratory, Thibaud Reysset of the International Institute for Nuclear Energy in France, Danie Van Aswegen of Bannerman Mining Resources in Namibia, and Dr Komal Kapoor of Nuclear Fuel Complex in India, discussed the importance of attracting, developing and retaining talent in the nuclear industry.  

Planning ahead

On day two of the conference, three parallel tracks took place. The first track focused on the front end of the fuel cycle, the second track on nuclear fuels, and the third track on recycling nuclear materials. In Track 1, Desai presented 'A focus of conversion and enrichment from the World Nuclear Fuel Report: Global Scenarios for Demand and Supply Availability 2025-2040'. The nuclear power demand scenarios as per the World Nuclear Fuel Report were presented and Desai highlighted the status of conversion and enrichment facilities across the globe. Only a handful or so of producers exist for each component of the fuel supply chain which could create bottlenecks, in particular for conversion. In Track 3, Dr Luc Van den Durpel of Nuclear-21, a member of World Nuclear Association's Used Fuel Management Working Group, presented on ongoing work at the Association in a session on ‘Future Global Nuclear Fuel Cycles Scenarios’ looking at how increased recycling of fuel in the future may impact the front end of the fuel cycle.