More weapons-grade plutonium to be converted into MOX fuel

摘要

After some delays, construction of the US plant to turn weapons-grade plutonium into civil nuclear reactor fuel has commenced. The Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication plant is being built by Shaw Areva MOX Services for the National Nuclear Security Administration at Savannah River, South Carolina. From 2016 it will mix at least 34tonnes of fairly pure plutonium-239 with depleted uranium to make MOX fuel, thereby removing the material for about 8500 nuclear warheads and fulfilling an obligation under a US-Russia accord signed in 2000. The plutonium will make about 1700 MOX fuel assemblies and be equivalent to about 6000 tonnes of natural uranium.