The United States is making available to commercial atomic energy reactors a stockpile of low-enriched uranium fuel that was blended down from excess weapon-grade uranium, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency announced on Thursday (see GSN, Dec. 7, 2010).
The American Assured Fuel Supply stockpile is intended to encourage growth in the civilian atomic power field in a manner that does not promote proliferation. Unlike highly enriched uranium that is still used at atomic reactors around the world, LEU fuel is not suitable for use in a nuclear weapon.
The American Assured Fuel Supply stockpile is intended to encourage growth in the civilian atomic power field in a manner that does not promote proliferation. Unlike highly enriched uranium that is still used at atomic reactors around the world, LEU fuel is not suitable for use in a nuclear weapon.
