GE Hitachi has signed a memorandum of understanding for the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) to provide expert technical input towards the potential deployment of GEH’s Prism reactor to address the UK’s growing stockpile of civil plutonium.
GEH also spent a day meeting with a number of skilled nuclear workers in West Cumbria to learn how they could work together on the potential deployment of Prism in the region.
The UK is currently storing more than 87 metric tons (and growing) of plutonium at the Sellafield nuclear complex in West Cumbria, England. The UK government confirmed its intention to reuse this plutonium in December 2011, declaring that it “remains open to any alternative proposals for plutonium management that offer better value to the UK taxpayer.” The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) announced in February 2012 that it is seeking proposals for alternative approaches to manage the U.K.’s plutonium stockpile.
“We are excited for the potential opportunity to utilize the expertise of NNL and help the UK continue to take a leadership role in the reuse of plutonium,” said Danny Roderick, senior vice president of new plant projects for GEH. “We believe that Prism is the best way to manage the UK’s plutonium stockpile efficiently, securely and safely while generating low-carbon electricity at the same time.”
