Biden signs bipartisan bill banning imports of Russian uranium | Joe Biden
Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill banning the import of enriched uranium from Russia as part of Washington's latest effort to put more pressure on Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
The ban on imports of fuel for nuclear power plants will begin in about 90 days, but the Department of Energy (DOE) has been granted exemptions until 2028 if there are concerns about supply.
Russia is the world's largest supplier of enriched uranium, and about 24% of the enriched uranium used in U.S. nuclear power plants comes from Russia.
In the weeks following the Russian invasion, ukraine, the White House banned Russian oil and gas imports to cut off foreign sources of revenue to Russia. Since then, the United States and its allies have imposed further sanctions on Russia and its huge energy industry.
The delay in banning Russian uranium is due in part to the United States' dependence on imports from Russia and concerns that the country's 93 nuclear reactors could shut down due to fuel shortages.
The United States is the largest market for nuclear fuel, but its current domestic enrichment capacity can provide only 30% of the fuel needed for dozens of nuclear reactors, a House of Representatives report on newly passed legislation said.
The report highlighted the United States' dependence on “Russian state nuclear power company Rosatom and its subsidiary Tenex.”
Kathryn Huff, DOE's assistant secretary for nuclear power, said last week that the United States has been working to increase its domestic uranium fuel processing capacity and preparing since 2022 for the possibility that President Vladimir Putin would halt uranium sales.
The law would “strengthen our nation's energy and economic security by reducing and ultimately eliminating dependence on Russia for civil nuclear power generation.” U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
Morgan Lewis, a law firm that advises nuclear reactor owners on fuel supply and regulatory issues, says that “alternative uranium sources and enrichment services, along with rebuilding the domestic fuel cycle industry, will ultimately “This law should reduce the significant impact it will have on the U.S. nuclear industry.”
The Russian uranium ban also would set aside about $2.7 billion in funding to increase capacity in the U.S. uranium fuel industry.
A House of Commons report on the new law said one U.S. conversion facility has already restarted and will be able to supply the equivalent of “approximately 40% of the U.S. market's demand in the near future.”
Huff said last week that countries including Canada, France and Japan would help the United States deal with “allied replacements” for Russian uranium.
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Rosatom's diversification into other areas that benefit Russia's war effort has been highlighted by U.S. lawmakers as a reason to cut off the flow of U.S. funds to Russian state-owned enterprises.
Lloyd Doggett, a member of the House of Representatives, said last month that “one of the key targets, yet to be authorized, is companies linked to Rosatom, the Russian state-run nuclear power company, which continues to expand despite the ongoing war. It should be a network of .
The report details Rosatom's role in funneling equipment and resources to the Russian military.
“As Rosatom and its subsidiaries continue to diversify beyond the nuclear industry, the company has become an unauthorized funnel for high-tech products to power Putin’s war machine, not to mention additional revenue. ” Doggett wrote in Foreign Policy last month. .
Reuters contributed to this report
Summarize this content to 100 words Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill banning the import of enriched uranium from Russia as part of Washington's latest effort to put more pressure on Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.The ban on imports of fuel for nuclear power plants will begin in about 90 days, but the Department of Energy (DOE) has been granted exemptions until 2028 if there are concerns about supply.Russia is the world's largest supplier of enriched uranium, and about 24% of the enriched uranium used in U.S. nuclear power plants comes from Russia.In the weeks following the Russian invasion, ukraine, the White House banned Russian oil and gas imports to cut off foreign sources of revenue to Russia. Since then, the United States and its allies have imposed further sanctions on Russia and its huge energy industry.The delay in banning Russian uranium is due in part to the United States' dependence on imports from Russia and concerns that the country's 93 nuclear reactors could shut down due to fuel shortages.The United States is the largest market for nuclear fuel, but its current domestic enrichment capacity can provide only 30% of the fuel needed for dozens of nuclear reactors, a House of Representatives report on newly passed legislation said.The report highlighted the United States' dependence on “Russian state nuclear power company Rosatom and its subsidiary Tenex.”Kathryn Huff, DOE's assistant secretary for nuclear power, said last week that the United States has been working to increase its domestic uranium fuel processing capacity and preparing since 2022 for the possibility that President Vladimir Putin would halt uranium sales.The law would “strengthen our nation's energy and economic security by reducing and ultimately eliminating dependence on Russia for civil nuclear power generation.” U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.Morgan Lewis, a law firm that advises nuclear reactor owners on fuel supply and regulatory issues, says that “alternative uranium sources and enrichment services, along with rebuilding the domestic fuel cycle industry, will ultimately “This law should reduce the significant impact it will have on the U.S. nuclear industry.”The Russian uranium ban also would set aside about $2.7 billion in funding to increase capacity in the U.S. uranium fuel industry.A House of Commons report on the new law said one U.S. conversion facility has already restarted and will be able to supply the equivalent of “approximately 40% of the U.S. market's demand in the near future.”Huff said last week that countries including Canada, France and Japan would help the United States deal with “allied replacements” for Russian uranium.Skip past newsletter promotionsUS Morning Briefing breaks down the day's big stories and explains what's happening and why it mattersPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may include information about charities, online advertising, and content funded by external organizations. For more information, see privacy policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google. privacy policy and terms of service Apply.After newsletter promotionRosatom's diversification into other areas that benefit Russia's war effort has been highlighted by U.S. lawmakers as a reason to cut off the flow of U.S. funds to Russian state-owned enterprises.Lloyd Doggett, a member of the House of Representatives, said last month that “one of the key targets, yet to be authorized, is companies linked to Rosatom, the Russian state-run nuclear power company, which continues to expand despite the ongoing war. It should be a network of .The report details Rosatom's role in funneling equipment and resources to the Russian military.“As Rosatom and its subsidiaries continue to diversify beyond the nuclear industry, the company has become an unauthorized funnel for high-tech products to power Putin’s war machine, not to mention additional revenue. ” Doggett wrote in Foreign Policy last month. .Reuters contributed to this report
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/13/biden-russian-uranium-imports-ban Biden signs bipartisan bill banning imports of Russian uranium | Joe Biden
