By Lenka Kollar
For 20 years, Russia has been shipping uranium from dismantled nuclear warheads to the United States to be used as fuel for commercial nuclear reactors. The weapons-grade uranium that has a very high concentration of uranium-235 (over 90%) is down blended to 3-5% uranium-235 so that it is usable in reactors. This program provided about 50% of the uranium supply in this country, which means that nearly 10% of total U.S. electricity has come from old Soviet weapons in the past 20 years. How amazing is that?! Not only have 20,000 nuclear weapons been dismantled, but they've been used to provide electricity for millions of people for two decades.
For 20 years, Russia has been shipping uranium from dismantled nuclear warheads to the United States to be used as fuel for commercial nuclear reactors. The weapons-grade uranium that has a very high concentration of uranium-235 (over 90%) is down blended to 3-5% uranium-235 so that it is usable in reactors. This program provided about 50% of the uranium supply in this country, which means that nearly 10% of total U.S. electricity has come from old Soviet weapons in the past 20 years. How amazing is that?! Not only have 20,000 nuclear weapons been dismantled, but they've been used to provide electricity for millions of people for two decades.
Image from the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Unfortunately, the 20-year agreement for the Megatons to Megawatts program ends at the end of this year. The last shipment of uranium from Russia arrived in the United States this week. Why is it ending? Back when the deal was made in the early 90s, Russia needed the money that the United States would pay for the dismantlement of weapons. Russia made about 17 billion from the U.S. government and U.S. companies profited from the uranium, as well. Read/listen to more in this NPR story.
The Megatons to Megawatts program was one of the greatest diplomatic and disarmament achievements ever. No other countries have taken such big steps to disarm nuclear weapons (albeit the United States and Russia have the most, by far). There are more agreements currently in place to dispose of weapons-grade material. The United States will mix surplus weapons-grade plutonium with uranium to create MOX (mixed-oxide) fuel for commercial reactors (read more). When plutonium and uranium are irradiated in a reactor, the resulting spent fuel is unusable for weapons. Getting rid of weapons material and using it to produce electricity at the same time is really the most efficient way to move towards disarmament goals.
How do you feel about recycling nuclear weapons material for electricity production?
The Megatons to Megawatts program was one of the greatest diplomatic and disarmament achievements ever. No other countries have taken such big steps to disarm nuclear weapons (albeit the United States and Russia have the most, by far). There are more agreements currently in place to dispose of weapons-grade material. The United States will mix surplus weapons-grade plutonium with uranium to create MOX (mixed-oxide) fuel for commercial reactors (read more). When plutonium and uranium are irradiated in a reactor, the resulting spent fuel is unusable for weapons. Getting rid of weapons material and using it to produce electricity at the same time is really the most efficient way to move towards disarmament goals.
How do you feel about recycling nuclear weapons material for electricity production?
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