TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s nuclear operators are starting to sell some of their huge holdings of uranium fuel, as chances fade of restarting many more reactors eight years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The sales so far have been small, but were made at values well below their purchase price and are likely to further depress the already beaten-down uranium market, say two senior market specialists.
They could also focus attention on the balance sheets of the country’s utilities, bolstered by holdings of nuclear fuel valued at 2.5 trillion yen ($24 billion), a figure that market experts say is highly unrealistic.
“Given the extended shutdown of our reactors, we are selling uranium as well as cancelling long-term contracts where necessary,” Japan Atomic told Reuters in a statement.
The company, which is yet to receive all the regulatory approvals needed to restart reactors at either of its two nuclear stations, declined to provide further details.
For the rest of this article: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-nuclear-fuel-sales-exclusive/exclusive-japanese-utilities-start-selling-uranium-fuel-into-depressed-market-idUSKCN1VD0K4