Year
2005
Abstract
While many developing countries would benefit from nuclear generation, resistance to introduction of nuclear generation in non-weapon states is typically opposed by weaponproducing nations because of proliferation concerns. This presentation proposes a new variation of some older ideas that could result in developing nuclear generation in emerging countries while at the same time reducing the threat of weapons proliferation. The presentation discusses the seemingly-incongruous requirements of such a program, and then outlines the manner in which current technologies might satisfy these requirements if an environment of international cooperation can be developed. Specifically, the presentation discusses (1) a uranium bank to relieve the need for more enrichment capacity in the near future, (2) an international waste storage proposal to eliminate the need to use spent nuclear fuel reprocessing as a waste management technique, and (3) the latest generation of proliferation-resistant reactors that can help control the spread of nuclear materials that could be used in nuclear weapons, and then describes an international cooperative environment in which such projects could be implemented.