Plutonium, proliferation, and policy

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Technol. Rev.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7306055

Gilinsky, V

Commissioner Gilinsky feels that the dangers of plutonium demand that international commercial ventures make no distinction between military and non-military explosives in the establishment of oversight and safeguard procedures, preferably by compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Agreements on these procedures must be strictly adhered to with no exceptions for political or economic expediency. The history of the relationship between nuclear power programs, plutonium production, and the proliferation potential from fuel processing programs is reviewed. Confusion has been encouraged in the U.S. and abroad over the potential for making nuclear weapons from power-reactor plutonium, and the public has not been reassured by the International Atomic Energy Agency's inability to make clear the fact that it is possible to safeguard reactor-grade plutonium. United States policy has tended to limit our options by concentrating on breeder reactor development and accepting more relaxed international than domestic policies. Although the U.S. no longer has a monopoly over nuclear technology, its dominance over the supply of enriched fuel should reflect a concern for how this fuel is used. (DCK)

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
• OSTI ID: 7306055
• Journal Information: Technol. Rev.; (United States), Journal Name: Technol. Rev.; (United States) Vol. 79:4; ISSN TEREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
055001 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Technical Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AGREEMENTS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
FOREIGN POLICY
FUEL CYCLE
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
IAEA
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS
NUCLEAR ENERGY
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PLUTONIUM RECYCLE
POWER PLANTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
RECYCLING
REGULATIONS
REPROCESSING
SAFEGUARDS
SECURITY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TRADE
WEAPONS