10% of US Energy Derived From Old Soviet Nukes

Nrbelex writes "The New York Times reports that about 10 percent of electricity generated in the United States comes from fuel from dismantled nuclear bombs, mostly Russian. 'It's a great, easy source' of fuel, said Marina V. Alekseyenkova, an analyst at Renaissance Bank and an expert in the Russian nuclear industry that has profited from the arrangement since the end of the cold war. But if more diluted weapons-grade uranium isn't secured soon, the pipeline could run dry, with ramifications for consumers, as well as some American utilities and their Russian suppliers.'"

Comments

Re:There would BE no supply problem...

[bill_mcgonigle]

Looks like the main drawback is the liquid sodium coolant, because sodium is so reactive. What other metals might work?

It's reactive if you let it out. We know how to handle liquid sodium.

Otherwise, I don't see a downside here, at least not compared to traditional reactors. If there is one, someone kindly pipe up.

It's nookulur. Clinton defunded it with one of his first executive orders, and Gore and Kerry lead the fight to kill it in the Congress the next year. At the time the speculation was it was payback to environmental lobbyists - Sierra Club is against anything nuclear, for instance.