SMR Information Task Force bulletin #5
Plutonium is the stuff from which nuclear bombs are made. It is created as a byproduct of nuclear fission. Plutonium resides in the fiercely radioactive used fuel assemblies discharged from nuclear reactors. Any method for extracting plutonium from used fuel is called reprocessing.
Moltex Energy, a U.K. start-up, plans to extract plutonium from used fuel produced by the Point Lepreau reactor on the Bay of Fundy. Moltex needs plutonium to fuel its proposed reactor. It hopes to export the technology.
Another company in New Brunswick, ARC Clean Energy, wants to reprocess the used fuel from its proposed reactor, designed to “breed” plutonium.
Ottawa has given the two companies almost $60 million, and New Brunswick more than $30 million, to develop their technology.
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CRED-NB is a member of the SMRs Information Task force, a national coalition of groups that issues regular bulletins about so-called small modular nuclear reactors. These bulletins are sent to all MPs in Ottawa and provincial representatives in several provinces, including New Brunswick.