The United States has seen a significant increase in its purchases of uranium from Russia, reaching the highest level since 2005, according to a recent analysis by RIA Novosti. In the first half of this year, the US bought 416 tons of uranium from Russia, more than double the amount during the same period in 2022.
The report highlights that Russia is supplying the US with enriched uranium, which is a critical component for civil nuclear power generation. The data reveals that Washington paid $696.5 million for these uranium deliveries, marking the highest value since 2002. The cost of supplies has increased by 2.5 times in the first half of this year, and Russia’s share of American imports has risen by 13 percentage points to 32%.
The US also increased its purchases of uranium from the UK, with a 28% increase to $383.1 million, accounting for just under 18% of all imports. Imports from France also soared to $319 million, making up 15% of US total imports, compared to $1.9 million during the same period in 2022. Germany and Canada were also among the top five uranium suppliers to the US market, accounting for 13% and 11% of imports, respectively.
It is worth noting that a recent New York Times report revealed that roughly one-third of enriched uranium used in the US is imported from Russia. This dependence on Russian uranium is of concern to some, with GHS Climate, a clean-energy consulting company, claiming that one out of every 20 American homes and businesses was powered by Russian uranium last year.
Russia currently produces nearly half of the world’s enriched uranium, and US efforts to reduce reliance on imports from the country have so far been unsuccessful. After the Cold War, American enrichment plants were shut down because it was significantly cheaper for importers to buy Russian uranium. At present, only two US facilities, one in Ohio and the other in New Mexico, are licensed to produce high-grade nuclear fuel.
It is intriguing to note that despite tensions over the Ukraine conflict, the US and the EU continue to allow the purchase of enriched uranium from the Russian state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom. This decision is part of their efforts to cut reliance on fossil fuels and transition to cleaner energy sources.
The significant increase in US purchases of uranium from Russia raises questions about the country’s energy security and strategic dependence on a foreign supplier for a critical component in its nuclear power generation. As the energy landscape evolves and priorities shift towards sustainability, it remains to be seen how the US will address this reliance on Russian uranium and diversify its sources of enriched uranium in the future.
Sources:
– RIA Novosti – “US Doubles Russian Uranium Imports, Highest Level Since 2005” – [Link to source](https://www.rt.com/russia/578087-us-buying-uranium-russia/)
– The New York Times – “US Still Spending Billions on Russian Uranium” – [Link to source](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/29/us/politics/us-russia-uranium.html)
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