Australia confident for uranium future

21 March 2011

Australia's uranium sales are not likely to be affected by a period of uncertainty as governments and reactor operators seek to learn lessons from the emergency at the Fukushima reactors in Japan, according to Australian Uranium Association CEO Michael Angwin. Speaking at the Paydirt 2011 uranium conference in Adelaide, Angwin said that while the crisis will have created some public nervousness and might temporarily reduce confidence in nuclear energy, the safety audits that will now be carried out by nuclear operators will demonstrate the very high safety standards and emergency preparedness of nuclear plants. "The industry has an extraordinarily good safety record and will learn from any lessons that emerge," he noted, adding that "countries turn to nuclear energy because they wish to improve their energy security and expand their electricity generating capacity in a way that does not increase their carbon emissions. That remains the case today." Angwin also noted earlier comments from Australian prime minister Julia Gillard that events in Japan would not affect the export of Australian uranium. He promised that the Australian uranium industry would continue to lead the development of a global stewardship framework providing additional assurance about the safe and responsible use of uranium.

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