US picks potential partners for using Cold War-era plutonium as fuel

Trump gov’t plans to make about 20 metric tonnes of plutonium from dismantled nuclear warheads available to US power firmsThe United States government has chosen five companies, including nuclear energy company Oklo, to enter advanced talks over potentially using its Cold War-era plutonium as a nuclear reactor fuel.The US Department of Energy made the announcement on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘Leave Kyiv’: Why Russia’s latest Ukraine threat is a major escalationlist 2 of 4What has Pope Leo warned about AI – and why that’s significantlist 3 of 4World Cup broadcast hopes boosted in India as Zee Entertainment in talkslist 4 of 4White House proposes NDAs for all US federal workersend of listThe Energy Department holds surplus US plutonium, which has a half-life of 24,000 years and must be handled with protective gear, at heavily guarded weapons facilities in states including South Carolina, Texas and New Mexico.Oklo, whose stock price was up more than 5.5 percent to $69.51 per share, said it plans to develop the fuel with newcleo, a European company that aims to build high-tech nuclear reactors.The Reuters news agency reported last year that the administration of US President Donald Trump plans to make about 20 metric tonnes of plutonium from dismantled nuclear warheads available to US power companies.Last May, Trump ordered the halt of much of a programme to dilute and dispose of surplus plutonium, and instead provide it as a fuel for advanced nuclear technologies, a plan that some Democrats opposed.In a letter in September, Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Representatives Don Beyer of Virginia and John Garamendi of California said that 20 metric tonnes of weapons-usable plutonium was enough for approximately 2,000 nuclear bombs. Such a move “raises serious weapons proliferation concerns, makes little economic sense, and may adversely affect the nation’s defense posture”, they wrote, asking the agency to cancel the plan.