U.S. Department of Energy selects five nuclear startups to repurpose Cold War-era plutonium for reactors
By
Tim De Chant
1d ago· 4 min readenNews
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Summary
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected five nuclear startups to negotiate receiving weapons-grade plutonium from Cold War stockpiles for use in a new generation of nuclear reactors. The government holds around 100 tons of the radioactive material, originally produced for atomic bombs, and is seeking to repurpose it rather than continue storing it in high-security facilities. This initiative aims to address both the disposal challenge and support the development of advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe Department of Energy said Tuesday it has selected five nuclear startups to enter into negotiations with the government to receive a portion of the plutonium, which could potentially be used to power a new generation of nuclear reactors.
For decades, the U.S. has had a plutonium problem. Around 100 tons of the stuff was made during the Cold War to go into powerful atomic bombs.
But as nuclear stockpiles were dismantled, the government had to store the radioactive material in high-security facilities.
The U.S. government is sitting on dozens of tons of weapons-grade plutonium. It's hoping startups can find a use for it.
