US DOE Selects Five Firms to Use Cold War Plutonium as Fuel

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected five private companies to negotiate the use of surplus Cold War-era plutonium as nuclear reactor fuel ^[1].

This move represents a significant shift in nuclear policy by transferring weapons-grade materials to the private sector. The initiative aims to reduce the national stockpile of dismantled warhead materials while accelerating the development of next-generation energy technology [2, 3].

According to a DOE spokesperson, the department chose five companies to engage in advanced talks to explore using the surplus plutonium as fuel for advanced reactors ^[1]. One of the selected firms, Oklo, said the company is honored to be selected for these negotiations ^[1].

The plan involves converting the plutonium into mixed-oxide fuel, which can be used in advanced reactor designs [2, 3]. By doing so, the administration intends to transform a legacy of the Cold War into a viable energy source [2, 3].

However, the proposal has met with criticism from some policy experts. James Conca, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, said giving weapons-grade plutonium to private firms is a risky move that could increase proliferation concerns ^[2].

The DOE selection process targets firms capable of handling the specialized requirements of mixed-oxide fuel, and advanced reactor operations [1, 2]. The administration maintains that this approach is the most efficient way to manage the surplus stockpile while supporting the U.S. nuclear industry [1, 3].