The disposition of weapons plutonium in MOX fuel

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:476565

Lebastard, G ^[1]; Moyer, R ^[2]

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1. Cogema, Velizy Villacoublay (France)
2. Cogema Inc., Bethesda, MD (United States)

During the years 1994 and 1995, increasing interest has been shown worldwide in the management and disposition of excess weapons plutonium. Several basic solutions have been proposed and the U.S. Government has initiated preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) on plutonium disposition options. This presentation addresses aspects of the primary alternative that is favored by the National Academy of Sciences and by the ANS Blue Ribbon panel`s report on plutonium disposition options, the use of plutonium from weapons in mixed uranium/plutonium oxide (MOX) fuel to generate electricity in presently operating Light Water Reactors (LWRs). The advantages of such an option are two-fold. First, an analogous large-scale industrial activity exists nowadays: civilian plutonium, separated in reprocessing plants, is steadily recycled in existing PWR and BWR European reactors. This gives the opportunity, if decided, to go ahead almost immediately with an effective disposition of military plutonium. On the other hand, several benefits can be withdrawn from this strategy, such as economic soundness, resource and energy conservation, environment credibility and proliferation resistance.

• OSTI ID: 476565
• Report Number(s): CONF-960804--Vol.3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
FISSION
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISMANTLEMENT
PLUTONIUM
PWR TYPE REACTORS
USES