DATE=12/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243431
TITLE=NUKE TRITIUM DECISION (L-ONLY) (CQ)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL RESUME MAKING A KEY
INGREDIENT FOR ADVANCED NUCLEAR WEAPONS SOON, IN SPITE OF ITS
EFFORTS TO PERSUADE OTHER NATIONS TO STOP WEAPONS PRODUCTION.
TUESDAY, THE U-S GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED A NEW CONTRACT TO PRODUCE
TRITIUM, A RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPE OF HYDROGEN, IN A CIVILIAN-RUN
NUCLEAR REACTOR. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.
TEXT: NUCLEAR WEAPONS EXPERTS AT THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
SAY WITHOUT TRITIUM, U-S NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL NOT BE AS
POWERFUL AS THEIR DESIGNERS INTENDED. BUT TRITIUM DECAYS AT A
RATE OF ABOUT FIVE PERCENT PER YEAR, SO IT HAS TO BE REPLACED
PERIODICALLY. THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT PRODUCED TRITIUM SINCE
1988, MAKING SOME EXPERTS WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE RELIABILITY OF
U-S WEAPONS.
ON TUESDAY, ENERGY SECRETARY BILL RICHARDSON PICKED
COMMERCIAL-STYLE NUCLEAR REACTORS IN TENNESSEE [THE T-V-A] TO
PRODUCE THE RADIOACTIVE GAS. HE REJECTED THE ALTERNATIVE OF
BUILDING A SEPARATE NEW FACILITY TO HANDLE THE MILITARY TASK AS
TOO EXPENSIVE.
/// RICIARDSON ACT ///
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TRITIUM WHEN WE NEED IT, BUT SINCE
WE WILL ONLY PAY FOR WHAT WE NEED WHEN WE NEED IT, THIS
OPTION WILL GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY TO DEFER PRODUCTION
IF WE CONCLUDE [ARMS REDUCTION TREATIES SUCH AS] "START
TWO" AND BEYOND.
/// END ACT ///
DEFENSE EXPERTS SAY EVEN IF THE "START TWO" [STRATEGIC ARMS
REDUCTION] TREATY GETS FINAL APPROVAL BY BOTH THE UNITED STATES
AND RUSSIA, THE THOUSANDS OF WEAPONS THAT REMAIN WILL STILL NEED
TRITIUM.
SOME ARMS-CONTROL ADVOCATES, SUCH AS TOM COLLINA OF THE UNION OF
CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, SAY USING A CIVILIAN REACTOR FOR MILITARY
PURPOSES IS ECONOMICAL AND LEGAL -- BUT FOOLISH. MR. COLLINA
ARGUES MIXING CIVILIAN AND MILITARY NUCLEAR PROGRAMS WILL SET
BACK U-S EFFORTS TO PERSUADE OTHER NATIONS TO FOREGO NUCLEAR
WEAPONS, AND MAKE IT MORE COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT FOR EXPERTS TO
WATCH NUCLEAR PROGRAMS IN OTHER NATIONS.
/// COLLINA ACT ///
WHILE THIS IS CHEAPER, IT SETS A BAD EXAMPLE OF USING
CIVILIAN REACTORS FOR NUCLEAR-WEAPONS PURPOSES.
/// END ACT ///
MR. COLLINA SAYS RUSSIA WILL EVENTUALLY APPROVE "START TWO" AND
OTHER ARMS-REDUCTION TREATIES, TAKING MANY NUCLEAR WEAPONS OUT OF
SERVICE AND MAKING PLENTY OF TRITIUM AVAILABLE TO RECYCLE INTO
THE REMAINING WEAPONS. HE SAYS RESUMING TRITIUM PRODUCTION NOW
IS PROBABLY PREMATURE, BUT ENERGY SECRETARY BILL RICHARDSON SAYS
U-S LAW REQUIRES HIM TO MAKE SOME KIND OF DECISION ON TRITIUM BY
THE END OF THIS YEAR. HE SAYS USING AN EXISTING COMMERICAL
REACTOR MEANS U-S TAXPAYERS WILL NOT GET STUCK WITH A
MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR BILL FOR AN UN-NEEDED NUCLEAR PLANT, IF ARMS
REDUCTION TREATIES ARE EVENTUALLY SUCCESSFUL.
MEANTIME, IN MOSCOW, RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS HAVE ONCE AGAIN PUT OFF
DEBATE ON THE "START TWO" STRATEGIC ARMS REDUCTION TREATY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JR/WDC
22-Dec-98 5:49 PM EST (2249 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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