The event was held during the IAEA (UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency) General Conference.
A handful of countries in the world, including Norway, possess highly enriched uranium mixed with thorium. This material can be used to make nuclear weapons and is challenging to handle. The material belongs to the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and stems from previous research on nuclear fuel.
There have been significant advancements in minimizing highly enriched uranium for civilian use in recent years.
– It is very encouraging to see that the international efforts to minimize the use of highly enriched uranium are yielding results. This type of material can be used to produce nuclear weapons. Therefore, it is crucial to secure the material and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. This work is also part of the cleanup after IFE’s nuclear activities, says Per Strand, Director of the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA).
During the event, Strand informed about the Norwegian project, which involves using an American mobile facility, Mobile Melt Consolidation (MMC), to melt highly enriched uranium mixed with thorium together with depleted uranium. The goal is to ensure that the highly enriched uranium can no longer be used to make nuclear weapons. MMC is under development and has not yet been used. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is responsible for the development and testing of the facility in the USA, while IFE is responsible for implementing the project in Norway.
The Norwegian pilot project could also be important for other countries in terms of having mobile facilities that are transported to where the material is located. This would make the transport of highly enriched uranium unnecessary.