The US Senate unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday to ban imports of Russian uranium in an effort to disrupt Russia’s actions in the war against Ukraine. The measure, which was also approved by the House of Representatives in December, aims to cut off a key source of revenue for Russia.
Uranium is used to power commercial nuclear reactors that generate electricity, and the legislation would prohibit imports of Russian uranium 90 days after it is enacted. The bill includes waivers in case there are concerns about the domestic supply of uranium for reactors, and it allocates $2.7 billion to boost the domestic uranium processing industry.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the US had already banned Russian oil imports and imposed price caps on some exports of crude and oil products. US nuclear power plants imported about 12% of their uranium from Russia in 2022, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, emphasized the state’s capacity to replace Russian imports of uranium. He stated, “Our bipartisan legislation will help defund Russia’s war machine, revive American uranium production, and jumpstart investments in America’s nuclear fuel supply chain.”
President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, as part of the ongoing efforts to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The National Security Council has also called on Congress to impose the ban to ensure a secure nuclear fuel supply chain independent of adversarial influence.