Oak Ridge National Laboratory proposes using reactors for the disposition mission.

 
  • Surplus SNM can be fabricated into reactor fuel (called mixed-oxide fuel or MOX) and used in reactors.

  • Reactor fuel cannot be used to produce a nuclear weapon directly.

  • After the fuel is removed from the reactor, it will be highly radioactive and, therefore, dangerous.

  • After the fuel is removed from the reactor, it will become part of the existing spent fuel inventory.

 

Spent fuel is stored in pools at reactor sites awaiting ultimate disposition.

Yucca Mountain is a planned ultimate disposition site.

  1. Under development for 20 years
  2. Not expected to open for 20 years

 

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