US Studies Possible Change to Safer Nuclear Fuel
2023-12-08
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1Documents show that a U.S. research program is making progress on its goal to use a safer kind of fuel for nuclear-powered Navy submarines and military ships.
2But the program's governmental financial support is at risk.
3The aim of the research is to change from using highly-enriched uranium, which can be used to make bombs, to a safer choice.
4Since 2018, the U.S. government has been exploring how to use low-enriched fuel that cannot be used as an explosive in weapons.
5It is doing this to help decrease the proliferation risks of keeping stores of highly-enriched uranium.
6Proliferation means a fast increase in the amount of something.
7Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons or materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons.
8The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sent a report to the U.S. Congress last year.
9It said the research program progressed from a planning stage to an experimental campaign stage during the 2021 fiscal year.
10It added that early findings represent progress in what could be a 20- to 25-year design effort.
11The documents were recently seen by Reuters reporters.
12The issue of highly-enriched uranium is critical because of a defense technology partnership between the U.S., Australia and Britain.
13The $245-billion partnership, called AUKUS, permits the sale of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines.
14It also permits the sharing of nuclear-propulsion technology with Australia.
15The partnership is in answer to China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific.
16Non-proliferation experts say sending submarines to Australia that use highly-enriched uranium could lead to other countries using the fuel.
17The NNSA document said the low-enriched uranium fuel program seeks to meet certain U.S. Navy requirements.
18The document added that the fuel development process would be long and costly. Success, it said, is not guaranteed.
19The document also noted a 2016 report's findings that it could cost more than $1 billion to develop alternative fuel.
20That report also said low-enriched fuel would hurt reactor strength, ship costs and operational effectiveness.
21The NNSA's 2022 report warned the costs could take away from the higher aim of non-proliferation and naval propulsion research and development.
22Still, head of the NNSA Jill Hruby said in the document she was pleased with progress the program has made in this difficult effort.
23NNSA did not immediately respond to questions about the documents when asked by Reuters.
24Congress has given the program $100 million since 2016.
25But governmental financial support is in question after a group in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives this year voted to stop it.
26The Senate has approved financial support and the Senate and House of Representatives are expected to work together to decide on any funding.
27Alan Kuperman is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
28He works at the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project.
29He has pushed the government to accept low-enriched uranium for Navy ships.
30Kuperman also looked at the documents from NNSA.
31He said the documents make three things clear.
32First, the program is very important in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
33Second, it is making quick progress. And third, it will go into use only if it can keep the current performance of U.S. Navy ships.
34He said the possible $1-billion cost for the fuel was small compared to trillions of dollars spent on all the Navy's nuclear ships.
35I'm Gregory Stachel.
1Documents show that a U.S. research program is making progress on its goal to use a safer kind of fuel for nuclear-powered Navy submarines and military ships. But the program's governmental financial support is at risk. 2The aim of the research is to change from using highly-enriched uranium, which can be used to make bombs, to a safer choice. 3Since 2018, the U.S. government has been exploring how to use low-enriched fuel that cannot be used as an explosive in weapons. It is doing this to help decrease the proliferation risks of keeping stores of highly-enriched uranium. 4Proliferation means a fast increase in the amount of something. Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons or materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons. 5The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sent a report to the U.S. Congress last year. It said the research program progressed from a planning stage to an experimental campaign stage during the 2021 fiscal year. It added that early findings represent progress in what could be a 20- to 25-year design effort. 6The documents were recently seen by Reuters reporters. 7The issue of highly-enriched uranium is critical because of a defense technology partnership between the U.S., Australia and Britain. The $245-billion partnership, called AUKUS, permits the sale of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines. It also permits the sharing of nuclear-propulsion technology with Australia. The partnership is in answer to China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific. 8Non-proliferation experts say sending submarines to Australia that use highly-enriched uranium could lead to other countries using the fuel. 9The NNSA document said the low-enriched uranium fuel program seeks to meet certain U.S. Navy requirements. The document added that the fuel development process would be long and costly. Success, it said, is not guaranteed. 10The document also noted a 2016 report's findings that it could cost more than $1 billion to develop alternative fuel. That report also said low-enriched fuel would hurt reactor strength, ship costs and operational effectiveness. 11The NNSA's 2022 report warned the costs could take away from the higher aim of non-proliferation and naval propulsion research and development. 12Still, head of the NNSA Jill Hruby said in the document she was pleased with progress the program has made in this difficult effort. 13NNSA did not immediately respond to questions about the documents when asked by Reuters. 14Congress has given the program $100 million since 2016. But governmental financial support is in question after a group in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives this year voted to stop it. The Senate has approved financial support and the Senate and House of Representatives are expected to work together to decide on any funding. 15Alan Kuperman is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. He works at the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project. He has pushed the government to accept low-enriched uranium for Navy ships. 16Kuperman also looked at the documents from NNSA. He said the documents make three things clear. First, the program is very important in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. Second, it is making quick progress. And third, it will go into use only if it can keep the current performance of U.S. Navy ships. 17He said the possible $1-billion cost for the fuel was small compared to trillions of dollars spent on all the Navy's nuclear ships. 18I'm Gregory Stachel. 19Timothy Gardner reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 20_________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22enrich - v. to improve the quality of (something) 23fiscal - adj. of or relating to money and especially to the money a government, business, or organization earns, spends, and owes 24propulsion - n. the force that moves something forward 25alternative - adj. not usual or traditional 26reactor - n. a large device that produces nuclear energy 27fund - v. to provide money for (something)