On August 25, the Trump administration had a draft plan released that indicated that they were going to release plutonium from dismantled warheads to private firms to recycle it for use in nuclear reactors. (ht: B)
The plutonium would come from a larger stockpile of 34 metric tons, which the U.S. had pledged to dispose of under a 2000 non-proliferation deal with Russia.
The power industry is set to obtain the plutonium at no or very little cost, but it will be responsible for all costs related to transportation, design, and construction of facilities to process and recycle the plutonium to turn it into fuel for the nuclear power industry, a draft memo cited by Reuters showed.
So it’s a win-win.
And the concept is already being worked on but using spent fuel from nuclear reactors that’s been in storage for decades.
A $1.68 billion project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee will create more than 800 jobs in the nuclear energy sector.
Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company, announced with Governor Bill Lee this week their plans to design, build, and operate the “first privately funded fuel recycling facility” in the state
From the Oklo website/news release:
“Fuel is the most important factor in bringing advanced nuclear energy to market,” said Jacob DeWitte, Oklo co-founder and CEO. “By recycling used fuel at scale, we are turning waste into gigawatts, reducing costs, and establishing a secure U.S. supply chain that will support the deployment of clean, reliable, and affordable power. Tennessee is showing the nation that recycling can be done to support new nuclear development and growth.”
The recycling facility will recover usable fuel material from used nuclear fuel and fabricate it into fuel for advanced reactors. This process can reduce waste volumes for more economical, clean, and efficient disposal pathways.
Oklo has completed a licensing project plan for the fuel recycling facility with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is currently in pre-application engagement with the regulator’s staff. In July, Oklo successfully completed pre-application readiness assessment for Phase 1 of the combined license application for Oklo’s first commercial Aurora powerhouse. The facility in Tennessee is expected to begin producing metal fuel for Aurora powerhouses by the early 2030s, following regulatory review and approvals.
Also a win-win. Pretty sure that once the process is in place, then the warhead plutonium is next up.
Midwest Chick's Place 
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