Liability Resolution Boosts U.S.-Russian MOX Plans

The apparent resolution on liability for U.S.-funded nuclear security projects in Russia will boost efforts to build facilities in both countries to convert weapon-grade plutonium into mixed-oxide nuclear fuel, two U.S. senators said yesterday (see GSN, July 20).

“This will allow the MOX program at the Savannah River Site to get back on track,” said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “I look forward to a formal agreement being reached in the coming weeks.”

France, Germany and the United States are collaborating to help Russia construct a MOX facility, Graham said, according to the Associated Press.   Russia and the United States have each pledged to convert 34 tons of plutonium into the MOX fuel.

“As we see the world become more and more dangerous, it is critical that we make progress on reprocessing weapons-grade plutonium into MOX,” said Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) in a prepared statement. “Black marketers and terrorists would love to get their hands on this plutonium.”

Concerns over Russian funding and safeguarding of its plant still need to be addressed, said Tom Clements of Greenpeace International.

“I do think both Senator Domenici and Senator Graham are trying to play politics and influence the House-Senate conference committee funding on the MOX plant. That much is clear to me,” Clements said.

The Senate recently approved a $339 million White House funding request for the facility. The planned facility only received $35 million from the House of Representatives, AP reported.

A report by a House Appropriations subcommittee said the White House request combined with a MOX program balance of more than $650 million brings the budget to more than $1 billion for fiscal 2006. However, this budget has not led to nonproliferation benefits because of continued delays in the project.

“Faced with severe budget constraints, the committee cannot support the continued inefficient use of these nonproliferation funds,” according to the House report, which also called for a Government Accountability Office investigation into the program.

With the liability issue out of the way, plant construction would begin next year and create up to 1,500 jobs, said National Nuclear Security Administration spokesman Bryan Wilkes (Jacob Jordan, Associated Press/Myrtle Beach Online, July 20).

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