Why US has removed highly enriched uranium from Venezuela
What's the story
The US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has successfully removed all remaining highly enriched uranium from a research reactor in Venezuela. The operation was carried out in collaboration with the Venezuelan Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UK experts, and personnel from the US State Department.
Security milestone
NNSA administrator hailed the operation
NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams hailed the operation as a major step in reducing nuclear security risks in South America and the US homeland. He said, "The safe removal of all enriched uranium from Venezuela sends another signal to the world of a restored and renewed Venezuela." Williams also credited President Donald Trump's leadership for expediting what would have normally taken years into months.
Uranium extraction
RV-1 reactor was left with uranium after research activities ended
The RV-1 reactor, which had been used for physics and nuclear research for decades, was left with uranium enriched above the 20% threshold after research activities ended in 1991. NNSA's Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN), in collaboration with experts from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, removed some 13.5kg of uranium from the reactor less than six weeks after an initial site visit.
Transport details
Extracted uranium was securely packaged and transported to US
The extracted uranium was securely packaged into a spent fuel cask and transported some 161km overland to a Venezuelan port. It was then loaded onto a specialized carrier provided by UK's Nuclear Transport Solutions. The shipment reached the United States in early May and was transferred to Savannah River Site for processing and reuse.
Future use
Material will be processed for future US nuclear energy programs
The material will now be processed at the H-Canyon chemical separations facility to obtain high-assay low-enriched uranium for future US nuclear energy programs. Since 1996, NNSA and its predecessor offices have removed or confirmed the disposition of more than 7,350kg of highly enriched uranium and plutonium from dozens of countries as part of global nuclear nonproliferation efforts.