Foreign suppliers provided about 72% of the enrichment services used by US civilian nuclear power reactors in 2023, according to a Visual Capitalist chart built on US Energy Information Administration data. The measure is the separative work unit, or SWU, which defines the effort required to enrich uranium. US reactors used a total of 15,240 thousand SWU that year.

The United States was the largest single supplier at 4,313 thousand SWU, a 28% share. Russia followed at 4,141 thousand SWU, or 27%. France supplied 1,839 thousand SWU (12%), the Netherlands 1,217 thousand (8%), the United Kingdom 1,021 thousand (7%) and Germany 855 thousand (6%). Other countries together supplied 1,853 thousand SWU, or 12%. Foreign sources totaled 10,926 thousand SWU.

Visual Capitalist notes that US uranium production peaked in 1980 and that purchases by US plant operators from domestic suppliers peaked in 1981. Since 1992, most uranium purchased by US operators has been imported. Nuclear power accounts for 19% of US electricity generation.

In November 2024, Russia temporarily restricted enriched uranium exports to the United States. The move followed a US law banning imports of Russian uranium signed earlier that year, and it raised questions about supply risk for utilities operating American reactors. Russia also exports enriched uranium to China, South Korea and France.

The chart reflects 2023 purchases. Domestic enrichment projects funded by the Department of Energy, including planned facilities in Kentucky, aim to change the mix over the coming years.

Source: Visual Capitalist - https://www.visualcapitalist.com/where-the-u-s-gets-its-enriched-uranium/