Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act

H.R. 1042 was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 14, 2023, by Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R‑WA 5th) and subsequently garnered the support of six additional Republican cosponsors.^[10] The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where it underwent initial review and discussion.

After committee deliberations, the bill was reported out with amendments on December 1, 2023. The House passed the bill on December 11, 2023 by voice vote under a House procedure called “suspension of the rules” which is typically used to pass non-controversial bills.^[11] Following House approval, the bill was sent to the Senate for consideration. In the Senate, H.R. 1042 was brought directly to the floor for consideration.

Despite broad bipartisan support, Senator Ted Cruz (R‑TX) blocked the bill as a bargaining chip in unrelated legislative disputes. The legislation was stalled for months until Cruz dropped his opposition.^[2]

On April 30, 2024, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D‑RI) requested unanimous consent to proceed with the bill, which was read and passed without objection.^[12] The unanimous approval process expedited its passage, reflecting the broad bipartisan consensus on this legislation.

President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on May 13, 2024.

The enactment of the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act marks a notable change in U.S. energy policy by targeting a significant reliance on Russian enriched uranium, which accounted for 27% of U.S. enriched uranium demand for U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors as recently as 2023.

Since the enactment of the Act, the U.S. nuclear energy sector has had to adjust to new supply chain constraints. While the waiver system provides flexibility, the industry has faced challenges in sourcing enriched uranium from alternative suppliers. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the potential for circumvention of the ban, particularly through third-party countries like China.^[13]

Top sources of enriched uranium for U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors in 2023^[14]

Country	Share (%)
United States	28%
Russia	27%
France	12%
Netherlands	8%
United Kingdom	7%
Germany	6%
Other	12%

Since the law’s passage, the U.S. nuclear energy sector has had to navigate significant supply chain adjustments. U.S. utilities have increasingly turned to Western European and allied countries for enriched uranium, with European plants fulfilling around a third of enriched uranium needs in 2023, compared to 28% sourced domestically. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the U.S. imports most of the enriched uranium it uses as fuel, a trend it has followed since 1992. Operators of U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors purchased 4,141 thousand separative work units from Russia in 2023, the agency suggests. U.S. enrichment plants only provided 4,313 thousand.^[14]

Though Russia had previously threatened to unilaterally halt uranium exports to the U.S., the Kremlin refrained from immediate action following the bill’s passage. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov described the legislation as “unfair” but did not reiterate the earlier threat.^[2] On November 15, in response to the ban, Russia retaliated by restricting uranium exports to the United States.^[15]

To enforce the ban and prevent circumvention, the Department of Energy has heightened its monitoring of uranium imports, focusing on potential re-exports from third-party countries. China, in particular, has come under scrutiny following a significant surge in uranium exports to the U.S. after the enactment of the legislation. This spike has raised suspicions that China may be acting as a conduit for Russian-enriched uranium, potentially re-exporting it under the guise of domestic production. U.S. officials point out that the timing and scale of these imports align with reduced direct exports from Russia, intensifying concerns over potential loopholes in the ban.^[16]

To mitigate supply chain disruptions and enhance energy security, the Act indirectly unlocked $2.7 billion in previously allocated federal funds to bolster domestic uranium enrichment industry.^[8][17] Centrus Energy, a leading U.S. firm engaged in uranium enrichment, has announced plans to expand its facilities and develop advanced technologies such as high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU).^[15] This more concentrated form of uranium is critical for next-generation reactors, including TerraPower’s Wyoming-based plant, which has experienced delays partly due to its commitment to exclude Russian uranium from its supply chain.^[2]

Historically, Centrus Energy has relied on Russian uranium to meet part of its demand. As such, the company received a waiver from the Department of Energy, allowing it to import low-enriched uranium from Russia for delivery to US customers in 2024 and 2025. Centrus' largest supplier of low-enriched uranium is Tenex, a Russian government-owned company. However, following the Russian response to the ban, Tenex notified Centrus that its general licence to export the material to the U.S. had been rescinded and that it is now required to obtain a specific export licence from the Russian authorities for each of its remaining 2024 shipments and for shipments in 2025.^[15]

Despite the urgency to rebuild domestic capacity, industry experts caution that creating a self-sufficient supply chain will take years. In the interim, waivers and other transitional measures will be critical to ensure the stability of the U.S. nuclear energy sector.^[2][18]