Washington is hoping for help from its satellites
US President Biden signed a bipartisan bill banning the import of Russian uranium into the United States. The ban, which will take effect in about 90 days, was the latest attempt by the White House to pressure the Kremlin over the conflict in Ukraine.
Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill that would ban the import of enriched uranium from Russia, as part of Washington's latest attempt to put further pressure on Vladimir Putin in connection with events in Ukraine, writes The Guardian.
Ban on imports of fuel for nuclear power plants takes effect in about 90 days, although it allows the Department of Energy (DOE) to issue waivers for supply problems until 2028.
As The Guardian recalls, Russia is the world's largest supplier of enriched uranium, and About 24% of the enriched uranium used in US nuclear power plants comes from this country.
A few weeks after Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, the White House banned the import of Russian oil and gas, seeking to cut off sources of foreign income to Russia. Since then, the United States and its allies have imposed additional sanctions on Russia and its vast energy industry, The Guardian recalls.
The delay in enacting a ban on Russian uranium was caused in part by US dependence on Russian imports and fears that the country's 93 nuclear reactors could be taken out of service due to fuel shortages.
While the US is the largest market, nuclear fuel, their current domestic enrichment capacity can provide only 30% of the fuel needed for dozens of reactors, the US House of Representatives said in a report on the recently passed legislation.
The report highlights US dependence on “Russian state-owned nuclear power Rosatom and its subsidiary Tenex.»
Katherine Huff, the US assistant secretary of state for nuclear policy, said last week that the US is preparing for the possibility that Russia may stop selling uranium to it by 2022 while working to build up domestic uranium fuel reprocessing capacity.
The law “will strengthen our nation's energy and economic security by reducing and ultimately eliminating our dependence on Russia for civil nuclear energy,” Jake Sullivan, US national security adviser, said in a statement.
The law firm Morgan Lewis, which advises nuclear reactor owners on fuel supply and regulatory issues, said that “other uranium sources and enrichment services, along with rebuilding the domestic fuel cycle industry, should ultimately mitigate any significant impacts of this law on the nuclear industry.” industry.»
Legislation banning the use of Russian uranium would also free up about $2.7 billion in funding to increase capacity in the U.S. uranium fuel industry, The Guardian notes.
The Chamber report Representatives on the new law say that one conversion plant in the US is already reopening and will be able to supply the equivalent of about “40% of US market demand in the near term.”
Last week, Catherine Huff said that such countries how Canada, France and Japan will help the United States find an “allied alternative” to Russian uranium.