Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI): PNNL GTRI Convert Program (Program Management Plan)

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1105097· OSTI ID:1105097

Cleary, Eugene J. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) strategic mission includes efforts to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological material at civilian sites around the world. Converting research reactors from using highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) was originally started in 1978 as the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Program under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. In 2004, the NNSA established the GTRI by combining five existing programs, including the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Program, under one combined threat reduction initiative to focus on one common mission. Within this strategic mission, the GTRI has three goals that provide a comprehensive approach to achieving this mission: 1) convert research reactors from using HEU to LEU, 2) remove or dispose of excess nuclear and radiological materials, and 3) protect nuclear and radiological material from theft and sabotage. The GTRI Convert mission seeks to minimize and, to the extent possible, eliminate HEU in civilian applications throughout the world through the conversion of research reactors. Once that need is eliminated, remaining HEU fresh and spent fuel can be removed or disposed of by GTRI’s Remove activities. Attainment of the Convert objectives will permanently reduce the availability and affiliated transactions of HEU materials, thus eliminating a substantial threat to proliferation. GTRI’s Convert mission is comprised of two sub-programs: the GTRI Reactor Conversion Program and the Mo-99 Capability Development Project.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1105097
• Report Number(s): PNNL--22443; NN9002000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English