U.S. House of Representatives votes to ban uranium imports from Russia
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to ban uranium imports from Russia (Photo: energy.gov)
The House of Representatives voted to restrict imports of enriched uranium to the United States from Russia, according to The Hill.
The law provides for a ban on the import of low-enriched uranium 90 days after it enters into force. It is noted that to introduce import restrictions, the relevant bill must still be approved by the U.S. Senate and President Joe Biden.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on December 7. It was supposed to be considered under the expedited procedure, which requires a two-thirds majority for approval.
The law allows for the lifting of the ban on uranium imports if there are no other sources to support the operation of nuclear reactors in the country. The U.S. Department of Energy may also issue an import permit in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury. The law provides for a ban on imports until the end of 2040.
It is noted that most of the uranium used at U.S. nuclear power plants is imported. Previously, uranium from the Russian Federation accounted for about 12% of the market.
Sanctions against the Russian nuclear sector
At the beginning of 2023, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the European Union to impose sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry.
It should be noted that Rosatom is one of the main suppliers of nuclear fuel to European countries, without which nuclear power plants cannot operate.
Recently, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine had proposed to the European Union a solution on how to stop depending on Russian nuclear fuel and impose sanctions against the aggressor country. But there is no result yet.
