The end of the Cold War left the U.S. with a surplus of weapons-grade plutonium, which poses proliferation and safety risks. Much of this material is found in a key nuclear weapon component known as a pit. The DoE plans to dispose of at least 34 metric tons of plutonium by fabricating it into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for domestic nuclear reactors. To do so, two facilities are being constructed -- a MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility and a Waste Solidification Building. This report assessed the: (1) cost and schedule status of the construction projects; (2) status of NNSA's plans for pit disassembly and conversion; (3) status of NNSA's plans to obtain customers for MOX fuel; and (4) actions to provide independent nuclear safety oversight. Charts and tables.
The end of the Cold War left the U.S. with a surplus of weapons-grade plutonium, which poses proliferation and safety risks. Much of this material is found in a key nuclear weapon component known as a pit. The DoE plans to dispose of at least 34 metric tons of plutonium by fabricating it into mix...