Scott A. Roecker
Vice President, Nuclear Materials Security
Fuel Cycle of the Future
Building a safer, more secure, and more proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel cycle
Challenge
Nuclear energy provides societal benefits but also security and nonproliferation challenges
Action
Create international partnerships that incentivize decisions not to develop domestic enrichment and reprocessing facilities
Results
Comprehensive and pragmatic international nuclear fuel cycle approaches that reinforce key nonproliferation and nuclear security principles
Because of their inherent dual-use nature, beneficial nuclear power programs and other peaceful uses of nuclear energy create significant security and nonproliferation challenges for the international community, if not addressed. The buildup of fissile material inventories, the spread of uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing capabilities, and limited permanent solutions for accumulating spent fuel all contribute to uncertainty and proliferation risks. Although practical solutions exist for all of these issues, at present there is little political appetite to address these challenges.
By focusing on regional partnerships—initially in the Middle East and East Asia but broadly applicable in other regions (e.g. South America, Africa, Asia Pacific)—NTI is committed to identifying, incentivizing, and implementing an international nuclear fuel cycle approach that supports a reliable and economically sustainable commercial fuel market, while reinforcing key nonproliferation and nuclear security principles.