The US Department of Energy admitted on September 16 that the country is not ready to " partly" with uranium enriched from Russia, due to the large level of dependence.
According to Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Russia currently provides about 25% of the enriched uranium needed to operate 94 US nuclear reactors. These furnaces are producing about 20% of the total national electricity.
If supplies from Russia are suddenly cut off, the US could lose up to 5% of its electricity output - a figure assessed as a "serious risk" to energy security.
Mr. Wright emphasized that Washington must accelerate the development of domestic uranium mining and enrichment capacity, while expanding strategic reserves to avoid falling into a passive position.
The Trump administration has also announced plans to add uranium reserves to ensure long-term energy safety and promote the development of nuclear power.
Experts say the US energy problem has become difficult in the context of both wanting to reduce dependence on Russia and worrying about the risk of nuclear fuel shortage. Meanwhile, Moscow has maintained its position as a leading global supplier, making it difficult for Washington to immediately find an alternative.
