Russian Uranium Ban Signed

This prohibition supports the United States’ ongoing effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate our dependence on Russian uranium for civil nuclear power reactors by prohibiting uranium product imports from the Russian Federation. 

Russian entities responsible for uranium exports are part of the State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), which is also responsible for aspects of Russia’s nuclear weapons complex.  Proceeds from Russian uranium exports enrich Rosatom and risk enhancing Russia’s nuclear weapons program, which poses an ongoing and serious threat to the national security of the United States. 

Since February 2022, the United States has sanctioned over 35 Rosatom subsidiaries and related individuals under Executive Order 14024.

$2.72B in Subsidies

The enactment of this law also releases $2.72 billion in appropriated funds to the Department of Energy to invest in domestic uranium enrichment further advancing a secure and resilient global nuclear energy fuel supply consistent with our international obligations.  These obligations include our commitment with the G7 in June 2022 to reduce reliance on Russian civil nuclear and related goods.

Separately, this law enables our COP 28 commitments under the Sapporo 5 grouping joining Canada, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom to invest $4.2 billion to expand enrichment and conversion capacity and separately to join the Multinational Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity by 2050.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act will reduce – and ultimately eliminate – US reliance on Russian for civilian nuclear power.

“This new law reestablishes America’s leadership in the nuclear sector,” he said. “It will help secure our energy sector for generations to come. And – building off the unprecedented $2.72 billion in federal funding that Congress recently appropriated at the President’s request – it will jumpstart new enrichment capacity in the United States and send a clear message to industry that we are committed to long-term growth in our nuclear sector.”