The Trump administration is advancing discussions with five companies to convert nearly 19.7 metric tons of surplus plutonium, including material from dismantled nuclear warheads, into fuel for next-generation nuclear reactors. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to expand U.S. nuclear power capacity and meet growing electricity demand driven by the rapid expansion of data centers. Officials argue that reusing the material could provide a valuable energy source while addressing the longstanding challenge of storing excess plutonium.
However, the proposal has sparked concerns among nuclear experts and lawmakers due to the significant security, safety, and financial challenges involved in handling weapons-grade plutonium. Experts warn that the material remains highly dangerous, requiring stringent safeguards against theft, terrorism, and accidental exposure. U.S. Representative Bill Foster, the only physicist in Congress, cautioned that the project could face enormous security costs and urged a careful assessment of its economic viability.
Among the selected companies are Oklo, Exodys Energy, SHINE Technologies, Standard Nuclear, and Flibe Energy. Supporters contend that using plutonium as reactor fuel is preferable to costly disposal programs, while critics argue that diluting and permanently disposing of the material may remain the more practical option. The initiative revives a concept with a complicated history, following the cancellation of the U.S. mixed oxide (MOX) fuel program in 2018 after billions of dollars had already been spent and projected costs escalated dramatically.
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