Barrett Pleased with Administration's Commitment to MOX

Barrett Pleased with Administration's Commitment to MOX
October 14, 2005

Aiken, SC - U.S. Representative Gresham Barrett (SC, 3) joined U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, U.S. Representative Charlie Norwood, and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Linton Brooks this morning at the Savannah River Site (SRS) for a Site Preparation Ceremony of the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility located in F-Area.

"Today is further proof that while there have been delays in the process we are moving forward," said Barrett. "I want to thank Senator Graham for his unwavering commitment to the MOX program, as well as the SRS community for their perseverance throughout this process. Make no mistake there is still a long road ahead of us, but today we begin to see concrete evidence that new missions are coming to the site."

In a letter sent to Congressman Barrett yesterday Secretary of Energy Sam Bodman stated, "The Administration strongly supports full funding of $339 million for construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at Savannah River, South Carolina. Resolving the liability issue was an important achievement, and the Administration remains strongly committed to moving forward with construction of the MOX facility in South Carolina."

"I appreciate Secretary Bodman's letter reaffirming the Administration's commitment to the construction of a MOX facility at the SRS," said Barrett. "Also, let me assure my constituents and all South Carolinians, that as we move through this process, the entire delegation will continue to work together to ensure our state never becomes a dumping ground."

A contract requiring a private consortium to design a MOX facility to be built at the SRS and be licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was awarded in 1999 to Duke Engineering Services, COGEMA, Inc. and Stone & Webster (DCS). The licensable design of the MOX facility was completed in 2004, and the NCR issued a construction permit for the facility earlier this year.

Once complete, the facility will fabricate nuclear reactor fuel using surplus U.S. weapon-grade plutonium. After the fuel is irradiated in existing commercial power reactors, the plutonium can no longer be readily used for nuclear weapons. A similar facility will also be built in Russia to implement the U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement, which commits both countries to dispose of 34 metric tons each of surplus weapon-grade plutonium. Currently more than 30 nuclear reactors use MOX fuel in France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/sc03_barrett/pr_101405_MOX.html