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Talk on Thursday focuses on plutonium reprocessing
published Tuesday, August 11, 2009  8645 Views :: 26 Comments
August 11, 2009

By ROGER SNODGRASS, Monitor Editor

There are currently several nails in the coffin of a nuclear policy that has
strongly favored commercial reprocessing and recycling of plutonium. Ivan
Oelrich wants to make sure it doesn’t pop open again.

A recurring idea in the political tug-of-war between proponents and
opponents of nuclear energy, nuclear reprocessing is intended to achieving a
plutonium fuel cycle, and thereby provide a plentiful supply of nuclear fuel
and a more easily-stored waste product.

Oelrich is the Acting President of the Federation of American Scientists
(FAS). He will be speaking Thursday at a public meeting of the Los Alamos
Committee on Arms Control and International Security.

In a recent telephone interview, Oelrich said that during the Bush
administration, the president pushed the reprocessing idea, changing the
name to plutonium “recycling,” but Congress gradually withdrew support.

“DOE wasn’t able to convince the Congress that they had a credible story,”
said Oelrich

In the Obama administration, on the other hand, some members of Congress
have become interested in reprocessing again, while the president is likely
to remain opposed.

“I’m not willing to say it’s a bad idea, but it is a bad idea for the next
50 years or so,” Oelrich said.

“At the Federation of American Scientists, we’re not for or against nuclear
power, as long as it is safe and economical and there is a waste solution,”
he said. “We do believe that you have to solve the proliferation issue,
however.”

Oelrich said current reactors are not designed for and don’t efficiently use
up the plutonium.

“There is plenty of uranium that we can store above ground din dry casks,”
he said. “If you are going to build breeder reactors, it would be better to
wait to use that spent fuel in an efficient system. It will be easier and
cooler, cheaper to process and less dangerous.”

Many proponents point to the French experience as a model, but Oelrich said
the French are building up huge stocks of plutonium that they don’t have a
way to use.

“They have 80 tons of separated plutonium stored in vaults above the
ground,” he said. The British have 100 tons.”

The Obama administration has now shifted the program more fully into a
research project. The Bush Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, or GNEP,
enrolled a number of members in an organization of nuclear power states that
would rely upon the United States to supply the fuel for an advanced fleet
of reactors.

Asked about the implications of the change for the foreign partners who
signed on to the plan, a Department of Energy spokesperson emailed a
prepared reply.

“The Department of Energy has restructured its fuel cycle R&D efforts to
focus on long-term, science-based R&D of advanced, proliferation-resistant
nuclear fuel cycle and waste management technologies,” wrote Jen Stutsman,
DOE deputy press secretary. “The Department’s Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative
will not be pursuing near-term commercial demonstration projects, which were
the focus of the domestic component of GNEP under the previous
administration.

She added. “The FY2010 budget request includes $192 million for a Fuel
Cycle R&D program that is focused on this long-term, science-based research
and development that could help meet non-proliferation and climate goals and
maintain the country’s national nuclear energy infrastructure.

“The Department is continuing to consider options for advancing the
Administration’s nonproliferation and energy priorities through its
participation in the international activities of the Global Nuclear Energy
Partnership (GNEP).”

“I understand there are a lot of people who know a lot about this (at Los
Alamos),” Oelrich said.

Oelrich has spoken on this subject on the Hill.

“I’ve talked on this many times,” he said. “I don’t have a set speech, but I
specialize the talk for the audience.

Oelrich will speak at 7 p.m Thursday in Graves Hall, United Church, 2525
Canyon Rd.


 



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