The SC
INT'L MOD
Data from the US Census Bureau indicate that at the end of last year, the United States purchased $1.2 billion worth of uranium from Russia, which is the maximum level in the entire history of recording statistics.
In December 2023, the US House of Representatives approved a bill to impose a ban on the import of low-enriched uranium of Russian origin, which will remain in effect until 2040. The bill proposes to limit the import of low-enriched uranium produced in Russia or by one of the registered companies there.
This document authorizes the US Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, to lift this ban if other sources of uranium supply are not available or if importing Russian fuel meets the national interests of the United States.
Against this background, in the last month of last year, the American side sharply increased its purchases of Russian uranium - the quantities doubled at once, to the maximum since March of last year, and its value reached $193.2 million.
As a result, the value of shipments during that year rose 43% to a new record high of $1.2 billion. The previous maximum was recorded in 2010 at $1.05 billion.
Meanwhile, Russia exported in absolute terms 702 tons of uranium compared to 588 tons the previous year. This is the highest value since 2013, when deliveries reached 982 tons.
This allowed Russia to maintain first place in terms of the value of uranium supplies to the United States and even increase its share of imports to 27% from 26% in the previous year. Germany came in second place, as its exports increased by 9% to $677 million. Britain occupied third place, where sales increased by 19% to reach $609 million.
