US research advances on alternative to bomb-grade uranium in Navy
vessels -documents
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[December 06, 2023]
By Timothy Gardner
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. research is advancing on the potential to
change fuel for nuclear reactors on Navy submarines and aircraft
carriers from bomb-grade uranium to a safer option, documents showed
Wednesday, even as the program's funding is at risk in Congress.
In order to lower proliferation risks of keeping stockpiles of
highly-enriched uranium, the U.S. government has been exploring since
2018 how to use low-enriched fuel that cannot be used as fissile
material in weapons.
The U.S. research program progressed from a planning phase into an
"iterative experimental campaign phase" in fiscal year 2021 and early
findings represent progress in what could be a 20-to 25- year design
effort, said a report to Congress last year from the National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA).
The report, seen by Reuters, had not been revealed previously.
The issue of highly-enriched fuel in naval vessels is heightened by the
$245 billion AUKUS defense technology partnership with Australia and
Britain that provides for the sale of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines
and sharing of nuclear-propulsion technology with Australia in response
to China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific.
Non-proliferation experts say sending submarines to Australia that use
highly-enriched uranium could set a precedent for other countries to use
the fuel.
The low-enriched uranium fuel program seeks to meet "the stringent
requirements for the power output, compact size, and long-life the U.S.
Navy requires," said the NNSA report.
The document concluded that "initial activities are the first steps on a
long, costly path to fuel development and success is not assured."
It also mentioned a 2016 report's findings that it could take over $1
billion to develop alternative fuel. The earlier report also said
low-enriched fuel would negatively impact reactor endurance and ship
costs and operational effectiveness.
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![](../images/120623PIX/news_u12.jpg)
The world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford steams
alongside USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) during a fueling-at-sea in the
eastern Mediterranean Sea, as a scheduled deployment in the U.S
Naval Forces Europe area of operations, deployed by U.S. Sixth Fleet
to defend U.S, allied, and partners interests, in this photo taken
on October, 11, 2023 and released by U.S. Navy on October 14, 2023.
U.S Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 6th Fleet / Handout via
REUTERS
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The 2022 report warned the costs could detract from higher-priority
non-proliferation and naval propulsion research and development
activities.
Still, head of the NNSA Jill Hruby said in the document she was
pleased with progress the program has made "in this technically
challenging effort."
NNSA did not immediately respond to questions about the documents.
Congress has given the program $100 million since 2016 but funding
is in question after the subcommittee in the Republican-controlled
House of Representatives this year voted to stop it. The Senate has
approved funding and the two chambers are expected to work together
to figure out any funding.
Alan Kuperman, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and
coordinator at the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project, has
pushed the government to embrace low-enriched uranium for Navy
vessels and obtained the documents from NNSA.
"These documents clarify three things for the first time: the
program is vital to preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, is
making rapid progress, and will be implemented only if it can
preserve the performance of U.S. Navy vessels," Kuperman said.
He said the potential $1 billion cost for the fuel was small
compared to trillions spent on the Navy's nuclear fleet.
The Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for
comment about the program.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Jamie Freed)
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