Cold War Plutonium Could Fuel Future U.S. Nuclear Reactors

Plans are underway to potentially utilize plutonium from dismantled U.S. nuclear warheads as fuel for advanced nuclear technologies. The proposal, emerging from the Trump Administration, could offer around 20 metric tons of plutonium to American power firms. This marks a significant shift, as the U.S. currently does not use plutonium in its nuclear power facilities.

Historically, plutonium has been converted into fuel for commercial reactors in the U.S. only during brief test phases. The newly proposed plan would draw from a larger stockpile of 34 metric tons of plutonium, which the United States committed to disposing of as part of a 2000 non-proliferation agreement with Russia. According to a source familiar with the Administration’s intentions, this initiative aims to bolster nuclear energy use in the country.

The power sector is expected to acquire the plutonium at minimal or no cost. However, the industry will bear all expenses related to the transportation, design, and construction of facilities necessary to process and recycle the plutonium into usable fuel. This information was outlined in a draft memo referenced by Reuters.

Concerns Over Safety and Viability

Despite the intentions to repurpose this material, analysts and nuclear safety experts express skepticism about its feasibility for fuelling advanced nuclear systems. The anticipated increase in U.S. energy demands, particularly driven by growth in AI data centers and the relocation of manufacturing, raises questions about the practicality of this approach.

This initiative follows a directive from President Donald Trump issued in May 2023, which instructed the Secretary of Energy to halt the surplus plutonium dilute and dispose program, except for legal obligations in South Carolina. The executive order mandates the establishment of a new program to process surplus plutonium for use in the nuclear energy sector.

The Secretary of Energy must prepare a report with recommendations on the efficient use of uranium, plutonium, and other products recovered from recycling and reprocessing, which is due within 240 days of May 23, 2023.

The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed it is exploring various strategies to enhance domestic supply chains for nuclear fuel, including plutonium, while not explicitly confirming the plan to distribute this material to the energy industry.

Expert Opinions on Plutonium Management

Experts argue that the safest option for the excess plutonium is to store it at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), an underground facility in New Mexico. Edwin Lyman, a nuclear physicist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, emphasized that “the excess plutonium is a dangerous waste product,” advocating for the continuation of the safer and less costly plan for direct disposal in WIPP.

Nonetheless, the Trump Administration’s push to utilize dismantled plutonium for nuclear power generation aligns with the increasing demand for electricity driven by the AI boom. This surge has prompted a global race to develop small modular reactors, which are intended to deliver reliable, low-carbon electricity to major tech companies.

Recent agreements by data center operator Equinix demonstrate the growing interest in advanced nuclear electricity. The company announced power purchase deals and a pre-order for microreactors to support its facilities. Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict that nuclear power will play a crucial role in the emerging energy infrastructure required to meet the escalating power needs driven by data centers.

Despite these developments, experts caution that nuclear energy alone will not suffice to meet the rising demand. They anticipate that natural gas will continue to play a part in the energy mix, complemented by renewable energy sources and advancements in battery technology.