WASHINGTON, MOSCOW TAKE ANOTHER STEP TOWARD RUSSIAN REACTOR CONVERSIONS

The Obama Administration expects that two Russian research reactors currently using highly enriched uranium will be converted to use low-enriched uranium by 2014, according to a statement released yesterday by the National Nuclear Security Administration. In a joint statement yesterday, the U.S. and Russia said that joint studies by the Department of Energy and Rosatom on converting four Russian reactors (the Argus, IRT-MEPhI, OR, and IR-8 reactors) indicated that it was feasible to convert the reactors to use LEU fuel, and two more studies will be wrapped up this summer. “The conversion of Russian research reactors from highly-enriched uranium to lightly-enriched uranium directly supports the president’s goal to reduce the dangers of nuclear material terrorism and weapons proliferation,” Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman said. “We look forward to continuing cooperation with the Russian Federation on this important project as part of fulfilling commitments made at the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea.”