US Plutonium to Private Nuclear Fuel

The Trump administration is moving forward with a plan to provide Cold War-era weapons-grade plutonium from dismantled nuclear warheads to private companies for conversion into nuclear power plant fuel. The United States — United States Department of Energy has selected five companies, including Oklo Inc. and Newcleo, for advanced negotiations under its Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program. This initiative aims to address a looming shortage of conventional uranium fuel for new nuclear reactors and dispose of the United States' 50 tons of surplus plutonium. Critics, including Democrats like Ed Markey and nonproliferation experts from organizations like Nuclear Threat Initiative, express concerns about weapons proliferation risks, economic viability, and the historical challenges of such projects. Despite these criticisms, companies like Oklo Inc. and Newcleo are prepared to tackle the logistical challenges, with Newcleo planning a fuel fabrication facility in Savannah River, S.C. The plan is part of the Trump administration's goal to quadruple the U.S. nuclear fleet by 2050 and expand nuclear waste recycling.