U.S.-Russian HEU Deal Enjoys Anniversary

A 1993 agreement to convert Russian weapon-grade uranium into nuclear fuel marked its 15th anniversary this week, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration announced (see GSN, April 5, 2007).

So far, Russia has blended down 322 metric tons of highly enriched uranium removed from nuclear weapons.  The 20-year plan calls on Moscow to process a total of 500 metric tons.

The program entails shipping the resultant low-enriched uranium to U.S. nuclear fuel fabrication facilities and then to U.S. nuclear power plants (see GSN, Aug. 14, 2006).

“NNSA has been working with Russia for 15 years to eliminate highly enriched uranium from its weapons stockpile and prevent it from being diverted to unauthorized use,” William Tobey, NNSA’s head of nuclear nonproliferation, said in a release.  “At the same time, about one in 10 light bulbs in America is powered by material that was once in a Soviet nuclear weapon.”

To ensure compliance with the agreement, U.S. and Russian inspectors frequently visit facilities in both nations, according to the agency (U.S National Nuclear Security Administration release, Feb. 20).

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