12 August 2004
Nuclear Material from Germany Returned to U.S.
DOE says shipment is first under new Global Threat Reduction Initiative
A shipment of 126 spent nuclear fuel assemblies from three German research reactors have been returned to the United States, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced August 10.
The nuclear material was given to Germany under the 1950s Atoms for Peace program and is the first to be recovered through DOE's new Global Threat Reduction Initiative.
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said the Global Threat Reduction Initiative is vital to America's nonproliferation efforts worldwide and plays a key role in keeping potential nuclear weapons material out of the hands of terrorists. He welcomed Germany's support of these efforts.
Following is a DOE press release:
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Department of Energy
August 10, 2004
Press Release Number: R-04-240
DOE COMPLETES FIRST GLOBAL THREAT REDUCTION INITIATIVE SHIPMENT RETURNING NUCLEAR FUEL TO THE UNITED STATES
New program will be vital to nonproliferation efforts worldwide, Abraham says
WASHINGTON, DC -- In another step in the Bush administration's efforts under the Department of Energy's (DOE) new Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI), a shipment of spent nuclear fuel from three research reactors in Germany was completed on August 5.
The shipment, the first such shipment since the establishment of the GTRI, contained 126 spent nuclear fuel assemblies of U.S. origin composed of highly-enriched and low-enriched uranium and took place in the framework of the existing Foreign Research Reactor (FRR) Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Acceptance Program. This program, which supports the return of U.S.-origin spent nuclear fuel from foreign research reactors to the United States, was integrated as a key element into the new GTRI.
One of the key missions of the GTRI program is to convert reactors worldwide to low-enriched uranium nuclear fuel. The assemblies are stored at DOE's interim management site, the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina, until final disposition arrangements are made.
"By accepting this material, particularly highly-enriched uranium that could be used in nuclear weapons if it falls into the hands of terrorist groups, the Global Threat Reduction Initiative plays a key role in removing this material from international civilian commerce," Secretary Abraham said. "This program is vital to our nonproliferation efforts worldwide and I welcome the support of these efforts by Germany, a close partner of the U.S. in the effort to address the threat of proliferation. It also encourages conversion of reactors from HEU fuels to low-enriched uranium fuel by accepting fuel from reactors that convert to LEU."
Threat Reduction Initiative, announced by Secretary Abraham in May, supports the Bush Administration's goal of identifying, securing and disposing of nuclear and radioactive materials and equipment around the world that may pose a threat to the United States and its allies.
In the 1950's under the Atoms for Peace program, the U.S. provided reactor fuel to further other countries' research into peaceful uses of atomic energy, with the provision that the resulting spent fuel would be returned to the U.S. Recovering the fuel is now a major nonproliferation effort of the National Nuclear Security Administration, the semi-autonomous agency of the DOE that administers GTRI.
Media contacts:
Jeanne Lopatto, (DOE) 202/586-4940
Bryan Wilkes, (NNSA) 202/586-7371
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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=August&x=200408121317311ACnosnhoJ0.5720178&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
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