U.S. firms developing a new generation of small nuclear power plants to help cut carbon emissions have a big problem: Only one company sells the fuel they need, and it¡¯s Russian.

That¡¯s why the U.S. government is urgently looking to use some of its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium to help fuel the new advanced reactors and kick-start an industry it sees as crucial for countries to meet global net-zero emissions goals.

¡°Production of HALEU is a critical mission and all efforts to increase its production are being evaluated,¡± a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said, referring to high assay low enriched uranium.