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Savannah River Site’s MOX project needs $800 million a year

Review: MOX needs $800M a year http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20150820/AIK0101/150829974/1121

Aug 20 2015  A highly-anticipated review of the Savannah River Site’s MOX project states that funding for the project will require up to $800 million a year if MOX is to be successful.

Earlier this year, the Department of Energy commissioned the Red Team, a group led by Thom Mason, the director of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to evaluate cost projections and alternatives to the MOX method of plutonium disposition. The method includes the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility under construction at SRS.

The project is part of a nonproliferation agreement with Russia to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons grade plutonium.

 The review, dated Aug. 13, was delivered to DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz on Monday and states that the current $400 million  funding level for MOX is inadequate.

“The Red Team concluded that if the MOX pathway is to be successful, then annual funding for the whole program would have to increase from the current $400 million per year to $700 to 800 million per year over the next 2-3 years, and then remain at $700 to $800 million until all 34 metric tons are dispositioned,” officials wrote.

The Aiken Standard will have more on the MOX review in Friday’s paper.

August 23, 2015 - Posted by | reprocessing, USA

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