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Where the U.S. Gets Its Enriched Uranium

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This pie chart shows the top sources of enriched uranium for U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors.

Where the U.S. Gets Its Enriched Uranium

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Nuclear power accounts for 19% of electricity generation in the U.S.

This graphic illustrates the top sources of enriched uranium for U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors in 2023, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The calculation is based in Separative Work Unit (SWU), a unit that defines the effort required in the uranium enrichment process.

U.S. Suppliers of Enriched Uranium

Uranium production in the United States peaked in 1980, while purchases of uranium by U.S. nuclear power plant operators from domestic suppliers peaked in 1981. Since 1992, the majority of uranium purchased by U.S. nuclear power plant operators has been imported.

Currently, the U.S. relies on foreign sources for 71.7% of its enriched uranium, despite possessing domestic resources.

Russia supplies 27.2% of enrichment services, making it the largest single foreign provider for U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors. After Russia, 12% of enriched uranium comes from France, 8% from the Netherlands, and 7% from the United Kingdom.

CountryThousand separative work units (SWU)Share (%)
🇺🇸 United States4,31328%
🇷🇺 Russia4,14127%
🇫🇷 France1,83912%
🇳🇱 Netherlands1,2178%
🇬🇧 United Kingdom1,0217%
🇩🇪 Germany8556%
🌐 Other1,85312%
Foreign total10,92672%
Total15,240100%

Russia Temporarily Limits Exports

In November 2024, Russia temporarily restricted enriched uranium exports to the U.S., raising concerns about potential supply risks for utilities operating American reactors. These restrictions were in response to Washington’s recent ban on imports of Russian uranium, which was signed into law earlier this year.

In addition to the U.S., Russia is a major exporter of enriched uranium to countries including China, South Korea, and France.

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Energy Shift

Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation

Fossil fuels account for nearly 60% of power generation.

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Bar chart showing coal as the main electricity generation source in 2024

Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Fossil fuels made up nearly 60% of 2024 electricity generation.
  • Coal accounts for 35% of total power generation.

Fossil Fuels Still Power Most of the World

Global energy demand grew faster than average in 2024, driven by rising electricity use across sectors. The power sector led the surge, with demand growing nearly twice as fast as overall energy use—fueled by increased cooling needs, industrial activity, transport electrification, and the expansion of data centers and AI.

Despite a growing push toward cleaner energy sources, coal remains the leading source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, fossil fuels accounted for nearly 60% of global power generation, with coal alone contributing 35%, according to the International Energy Agency.

While renewable energy continues to expand, making up about one-third of total electricity production, the global energy mix still leans heavily on traditional sources.

CountryCoalNatural GasOilRenewablesNuclear
🇮🇳 India73.4%3.3%0.2%20.5%2.6%
🇨🇳 China58.4%3.2%0.1%33.9%4.4%
🇺🇸 U.S.15.6%42.6%0.7%23.3%17.9%
🇪🇺 EU10.7%15.6%1.5%48.7%23.6%
🌍 Global34.5%21.8%2.4%32.1%9.1%

In emerging markets and developing economies, coal continues to be the backbone of power systems. China, the world’s largest energy consumer, generated nearly 60% of its electricity from coal. In India, coal’s dominance is even more pronounced, providing close to three-quarters of all electricity produced.

In contrast, advanced economies are increasingly relying on cleaner sources. In 2024, the European Union made significant strides in renewable energy adoption—nearly half of its electricity came from renewables, far exceeding the global average.

In the United States, natural gas led the power mix, accounting for over 40% of electricity generation in 2024. President Trump’s pro-coal policies and the surge in energy demand from AI innovation are expected to boost coal production in the U.S. over the next few years.

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Energy Shift

How the Largest Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels Have Changed (2022 vs. 2025)

Despite sanctions against Moscow, the EU remains a key consumer of Russian fossil fuels.

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This graphic highlights the largest importers of Russian fossil fuels, based on the daily flow of oil and gas

How the Largest Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels Have Changed (2022 vs. 2025)

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Since the war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, Russia has earned $915 billion from fossil fuel exports, with EU countries accounting for over $223 billion.

Despite sanctions against Moscow, the EU remains a key consumer of Russian fossil fuels.

This graphic highlights the largest importers of Russian fossil fuels, based on the daily flow of oil and gas, using data from the CREA Fossil Fuel Tracker as of March 2025.

China Becomes the Biggest Buyer

In June 2022, China overtook the EU as the largest importer of Russian fossil fuels. Today, China imports nearly six times more than the EU. India and Turkey have also emerged as major buyers.

Country2022-01-14 (tonnes)2025-03-13 (tonnes)
🇨🇳 China435,025607,288
🇪🇺 EU928,998104,646
🌍 Others244,945275,747
🇮🇳 India28,907344,848
🇹🇷 Turkey138,860239,662
🇰🇷 South Korea93,26730,255
🇺🇸 United States33,4680
🇬🇧 UK49,0620

Meanwhile, imports from the U.S. and UK, which were relatively small before the invasion, have dropped to zero.

EU Reliance on Russian Fuel

A report released by Ember estimates that European purchases of Russian gas amounted to €21.9 billion ($23.6 billion) in 2024.

Additionally, data collected by Kpler and analyzed by POLITICO Europe revealed that in the first 15 days of 2025, the 27 EU countries imported a record-high 837,300 metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. This has raised concerns that billions of dollars could be fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Russia’s Position in Global Oil Production

Russia remains one of the world’s top oil producers, frequently competing with Saudi Arabia for the second spot behind the United States.

Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s oil industry was privatized, but in 2021, the state forced a consolidation and restructuring of the sector. Today, Gazprom, Rosneft, and Lukoil are Russia’s leading oil and gas producers.

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