U.S. Senate passes Russian uranium import ban

The Senate voted on Tuesday evening to approve legislation banning the import of enriched uranium from Russia, sending the measure to the White House which has said it supports efforts to block the Kremlin's shipments of the reactor fuel.

That's according to Bloomberg, Ukrinform reports.

The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, approved by unanimous consent, would bar U.S. imports 90 days after enactment while allowing temporary waivers until January 2028.

Russia provided almost a quarter of the enriched uranium used to fuel America's fleet of more than 90 commercial reactors, making it the No. 1 foreign supplier, according to U.S. Those sales provide an estimated $1 billion a year to Russia, but replacing that supply could be a challenge and risks raising the costs of enriched uranium by about 20%.

The White House had called for a "long-term ban" on Russian imports, which is needed to unlock some $2.7 billion to stand up a domestic uranium industry made available by Congress earlier this year, contingent on there being limits on the import of Russian uranium in place.

The House bill was approved by voice vote in December amid growing congressional support to cut off Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.

"This is a national security priority as dependence on Russian sources of uranium creates risk to the U.S. economy and the civil nuclear industry that has been further strained by Russia's war in Ukraine," the White House said earlier in a fact sheet.