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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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No impact from Savannah River radioactive wasps
The news is abuzz with recent news stories about four radioactive wasp nests found at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The site has been undergoing cleanup operations since the 1990s related to the production of plutonium and tritium for defense purposes during the Cold War. Cleanup activities are expected to continue into the 2060s.
Yigal Ronen, Yehoshua Kimhi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 96 | Number 2 | November 1991 | Pages 133-138
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT91-A34599
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A “nonproliferating” fuel for light water reactors is proposed. The nonproliferating aspects of the fuel are obtained by increasing the 238Pu/Pu ratio to 5% and above. This limit is maintained during the entire fuel cycle and, in particular, at low burnup values. The high value of the 238Pu/Pu ratio is obtained by introducing 237Np into the fuel. Some waste disposal aspects associated with 237Np are also discussed.