On July 31, the Department of Energy released a memo detailing an initiative to harvest plutonium derived from the spheres intended for the cores of nuclear weapons to power new power plants.
These spheres are known as plutonium pits. The Department of Energy has already been ordered to make more of them by Congress to enhance America’s nuclear weapons capability, but is falling behind in meeting this demand. The decision to then convert those pits for civilian use from weapons that already exist is puzzling, especially as the White House has been mute on this development.
Deputy Energy Secretary James Danly, in that memo, recommended using 25 metric tons of plutonium from the nuclear stockpile for transfer to private and in some cases, untested companies.
It may take years to convert plutonium for civilian use, while it takes months to create one new plutonium pit.
The Federation of American Scientists has found that the Defense Department is not being consulted over the use of its plutonium, further increasing concerns that the nation’s nuclear deterrent may be hollowed out.
In a September 23 letter, Senator Ed Markey voiced concern about a conflict of interest relevant to the scheme. Energy Secretary Chris Wright wanted to involve Oklo, a nuclear power startup in some of the plutonium schemes; Wright once sat on the board of that company. The Department of Energy has claimed that Wright completely divested from the company.
