About 100 tons of plutonium were produced during the Cold War for atomic bombs, and dismantling stockpiles left the material requiring high-security storage. The Department of Energy selected five nuclear startups to negotiate receiving a portion of plutonium, with an identified disposal target of 34 tons. The plutonium cannot be left in storage indefinitely because a key isotope has a 24,000-year half-life. Several startups are developing reactors designed to use plutonium directly or as part of mixed oxide fuel that combines uranium and plutonium. Mixed oxide fuel is currently produced in France, while a U.S. MOX project in South Carolina was canceled after budget and schedule overruns. A partner of Oklo intends to build a MOX fuel fabrication facility.
"The Department of Energy said Tuesday it has selected five nuclear startups to enter into negotiations with the government to receive a portion of the plutonium, which could potentially be used to power a new generation of nuclear reactors. The Department of Energy previously identified 34 tons of plutonium for disposal."
"While plutonium does exist in nature, it is more typically a byproduct of bombarding non-fissile uranium with neutrons. Once formed, that isotope of plutonium has a half-life of 24,000 years, meaning the government can't just wait it out."
"Oklo is developing a reactor that can run on traditional uranium fuel as well as plutonium. The plutonium would help the company fuel its first reactors. Exodys Energy is also developing a reactor that can operate using some plutonium as part of mixed oxide fuel, or MOX, which blends uranium with plutonium. Flibe Energy is working toward a reactor that would run on plutonium and other byproducts of fission reactors."
"MOX is currently produced in France, and while the U.S. had plans to make it in South Carolina, the first Trump administration canceled the project after it blew through budgets and timelines. One of Oklo's partners in the project, UK-based Newcleo, said it intends to build its own MOX fuel fabrication facility"
#plutonium-disposal #nuclear-startups #mixed-oxide-fuel-mox #advanced-nuclear-reactors #department-of-energy
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