Top U.S. and Russian officials are set to sign an agreement next week on U.S. financial assistance that is needed to shut down three Russian plutonium-producing reactors (see GSN, Feb. 11).

U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Russian Atomic Energy Minster Alexander Rumyantsev will formalize the agreement in Vienna, ITAR-Tass reported.

An agreement had been reached several years ago but the parties did not sign it because Russia had to find an alternate energy source to replace the reactors, according to Linton Brooks, acting head of the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration.

A decision to build a facility for plutonium disposal is expected in the next year, ITAR-Tass reported.

“The problem is regularly in a negotiation process,” Rumyantsev said.

“The next round of the talks will be held in the nearest week or two.  Under an accord of 2000, foreign participants, first of all the United States and the European Union, must finance the project.  As concerns the ground where it could be built, this is most likely Siberia or the Urals — one of our so-called closed cities, because we shall be able to ensure there the most reliable safeguarding of nuclear activities,” Rumyantsev said (ITAR-Tass, March 5).

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