President #Biden on Monday evening signed a bipartisan bill prohibiting Russian imports of enriched #uranium a move intended to cut off one of the last significant flows of #money from the #UnitedStates to #Russia amid the #war in #Ukraine.
But #sanctions on #uranium imports have taken much longer, in part because #Russia supplies roughly 20% of #US#nuclear fuel, leading some lawmakers to fear disruptions to the nation’s 93 nuclear reactors.
“It’s kind of ridiculous that it took as long as it did to get to this stage,” said Scott Melbye, exec VP of mining company Uranium Energy & president of the Uranium Producers of America, a trade group. “But we’re just glad that we got here.”
American companies pay around $1B a year for enriched uranium from Rosatom, #Russia’s state #nuclear power conglomerate. These payments have continued even after documents revealed last year that Rosatom had been working to supply the Russian #arms industry w/components, technology & raw materials for missile fuel.
The bipartisan bill will ban #uranium imports from Moscow beginning 90 days after its enactment.
The bill also frees up $2.7B…in previous #legislation to build out the domestic #uranium processing industry.
“This new #law reestablishes America’s leadership in the nuclear sector,” #NationalSecurity adv Jake Sullivan said in a stmnt Mon. “It will help secure our #energy sector for generations to come.” The bill passed the #House in Dec, but stalled for months in the #Senate, where Sen #TedCruz had blocked the measure over unrelated disputes.
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