Evaluation of alternatives for the disposition of surplus weapons-usable plutonium

Technical Report · Fri Apr 04 04:00:00 EST 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/491462· OSTI ID:491462

Dyer, J S; Butler, J C ^[1]; Edmunds, T ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); and others

The Department of Energy Record of Decision (ROD) selected alternatives for disposition of surplus, weapons grade plutonium. A major objective of this decision was to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Other concerns addressed included economic, technical, institutional, schedule, environmental, and health and safety issues. The analysis reported here was conducted in parallel with technical, environmental, and nonproliferation analyses; it uses multiattribute utility theory to combine these considerations in order to facilitate an integrated evaluation of alternatives. This analysis is intended to provide additional insight regarding alternative evaluation and to assist in understanding the rationale for the choice of alternatives recommended in the ROD. Value functions were developed for objectives of disposition, and used to rank alternatives. Sensitivity analyses indicated that the ranking of alternatives for the base case was relatively insensitive to changes in assumptions over reasonable ranges. The analyses support the recommendation of the ROD to pursue parallel development of the vitrification immobilization alternative and the use of existing light water reactors alternative. 27 refs., 109 figs., 20 tabs.

• Research Organization: Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium, TX (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FC04-95AL85832
• OSTI ID: 491462
• Report Number(s): DOE/AL/85832--T14; ANRCP--1997-1; ON: DE97006801
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
35 ARMS CONTROL
FISSILE MATERIALS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISMANTLEMENT
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT