The plutonium connection: energy and arms

Abstract

The opportunity to halt nuclear proliferation dims as commercial rivalries and disputes over the fast breeder reactor isolate the US from Japan and the Western world, and a solution to the radioactive waste problem becomes more remote. Strong political counterforces have slowed breeder reactor development and fuel reprocessing in the US while other countries proceeded with nonmilitary reprocessing by the Purex method and commercial-size breeder reactors. The International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation (INFE) included 66 nations and five international organizations in a comparison and evaluation of fuel-cycle concepts in terms of economic, environmental, and weapons-proliferation issues. Alternatives to the Purex process include Civex processing and multinational spent-fuel-storage schemes. Only the Candu reactor has led a nation (India) to closing the fuel cycle to produce weapons-grade material and no weapon capability can be traced to nuclear power production. The Non-Proliferation Treaty seeks to reduce both the incentives and the opportunities for this to happen. Japan and West Europe question US motives for the six-year decline in US nuclear power plant ordering since US nuclear weaponry is tied to reprocessing, but the US continues to supply over 75% of the enrichment services on the export market. The trend toward militarization of themore » trilateral framework makes it inadequate to control proliferation and will continue to breed international crises as East-West relations deteriorate. 21 references. (DCK)« less