“Disposition Pathways: Mixed Oxide Fuel”

The focus of this paper will be on the disposition of the United States’ inventory of surplus plutonium, especially the disposition of the surplus plutonium via irradiation in commercial light water reactors. In conjunction with reciprocal actions in the Russian Federation, the United States plans to effect the disposition of 25-33 metric tonnes of plutonium derived from its surplus weapons by separating the plutonium metal from the host weapons, transforming it to oxide, making mixed oxide (MOX) fuel with the oxide, and irradiating the fuel to achieve the “spent fuel standard.”