Staff Reports
Russia’s latest tactic is a gem that should be appreciated by anyone who enjoys watching the visible consequences of a floundering energy policy. On Friday, the Kremlin announced via Telegram that it is temporarily slamming the door on exports of enriched uranium to the United States. The details of this restriction remain as murky as the rationale behind much of the Biden administration’s energy strategy, but one thing is clear—this is a blow to U.S. nuclear energy efforts.
The statistics paint a disturbing picture. Russia holds almost half of the globe’s capacity to enrich uranium, making it a formidable player in the nuclear fuel arena. Last year, it was responsible for over 25% of the enriched uranium utilized within the U.S., a dodgy reliance that many conservatives have warned against for years. With most of the uranium shipments for this year already secured, the real concern now turns to 2025. U.S. utilities that might be relying on Russian uranium could find themselves in a tight spot, raising the specter of energy shortages lying ahead.
Russia putting a pause on enriched #uranium exports to the US could spell trouble for American reactors, which power ~ 20% of the country.
With Russia controlling half the global enrichment capacity (and supplying 25%+ of US fuel last year), will we see some supply headaches by… pic.twitter.com/mpd3OWtvpX
— Gigi Penna (@giginator_) November 18, 2024
This restriction is Russia’s way of retaliating against the U.S. for sanctions imposed on Russian uranium imports. President Biden’s ban, which was signed into law last May, doesn’t create an immediate problem since shipments can continue until 2028 under certain waivers. However, it highlights a significant failure: the U.S. has allowed its domestic nuclear enrichment capacity to atrophy while relying on foreign sources. It seems that while other nations have been stepping up their energy independence or at least solidifying their energy production, the Biden administration has opted for policy decisions that resemble putting all eggs in someone else’s basket—a basket that is now being kicked over.
Experts like Chris Gadomski claim the U.S. should have long ago started hoarding enriched uranium in preparation for this kind of game from Russia. Apparently stocking up on essential resources wasn’t top of mind for an administration that’s more focused on climate change initiatives and electric vehicle subsidies than securing a steady supply of nuclear fuel. The suggestion that contingency planning could have saved the day is perhaps too sensible for a leadership style that often seems to be working from crisis to crisis.
While the Biden administration has announced a multi-billion-dollar initiative to revive domestic uranium enrichment capabilities, the effort is still floundering around in its early stages. One can only assume that planners have been too busy with other distractions that seem to take precedence over actual energy policies which affect American lives. As they scramble to salvage what’s left of U.S. energy independence, one can only hope that common sense finds a way back into the discussion. Meanwhile, it remains painfully clear that the U.S. is not just competing on the world stage; it seems to be losing in a game that was entirely avoidable with a little foresight.
