MOX plan scrutinized by residents

Meeting attendees find fault with federal proposal for plutonium disposal at SRS

Web posted July 14, 2000

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By Brandon Haddock
Staff Writer

Manufacturing nuclear-reactor fuel from plutonium should not be a cornerstone of Savannah River Site's future, nuclear watchdogs told federal officials Thursday.

More than 70 people gathered Thursday at North Augusta Community Center to speak out about a U.S. plan to use weapons-grade plutonium as fuel for commercial nuclear reactors.

The plan is part of a government effort to rid itself of about 55 tons of excess plutonium. About 33 tons of plutonium would be used in mixed-oxide, or MOX, fuel that would be manufactured in a $1.4 billion plant at SRS, then burned in nuclear power plants in the Carolinas.

Plutonium is a radioactive metal used in nuclear weapons. It also is one of the world's most dangerous materials, capable of causing cancer if inhaled even in relatively small amounts.

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which licenses and oversees nuclear power plants, held Thursday's meeting to inform the public of its role in the MOX program and to gather public opinion about the MOX plan.

The commission will decide whether to allow plants to use MOX fuel and will license and monitor operation of the MOX-production plant at SRS.

At Thursday's meeting, MOX opponents reiterated arguments they had made many times before: that MOX fuel is too costly and too dangerous to use in power plants. Many stated that pollution and radioactive waste at SRS should be treated before the site accepts new work.

``The cleanup hasn't happened, and now you're going to add something new here that is going to add to the most radioactive spot in America,'' said Savannah resident Cheryl Jay. ``We don't appreciate that as neighbors of SRS.''

Watchdogs also questioned the role of French firm COGEMA in the proposed MOX-production plant. COGEMA is one of three partners in a consortium selected to design and build the facility.

MOX opponents argued that the firm's safety record in Europe must be considered.

``I'm here to tell you, please pry out this information,'' said Glenn Carroll of Georgians Against Nuclear Energy. ``We need to know the scoop. And when we pry this information out of the French government, let us know.

``We need to know who we are dealing with.''

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials said they will review COGEMA's performance in its home country, although the U.S. plan largely will be judged on its ability to meet U.S. safety standards.

``We're going to ensure that they meet our regulations before we give them approval for construction and before we issue approval for operations,'' said Melanie Galloway, enrichment section chief for the commission. ``Whatever their record in Europe, good, bad or indifferent, it isn't going to affect our decisions.''

MOX opponents called on the commission, which has a role in protecting public health, to join efforts to stop the MOX plan.

``I urge the commission to stand back, take a look at its mandate, and take an advocacy position against this whole idea of plutonium fuel,'' said Mary Olson of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service.

But MOX supporters argued that the plan was crucial to efforts to halt the spread of nuclear weapons, and that Savannah River Site's experience with plutonium made it the right place for the MOX-production plant.

The plant would create about 435 local, long-term jobs at the site.

``We fully support the MOX program as the best way to dispose of our surplus plutonium,'' said Mal McKibben, executive director of Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness. ``We have no doubt, zero doubt, that this mission can be done safely with proper regulatory oversight.''

Some activists said they didn't oppose the site but they felt that MOX was not the way to go.

``We support disarmament,'' Ms. Carroll said. ``We support cleanup at SRS. We think the jobs should be in cleanup.

``We support SRS.''

Reach Brandon Haddock at (706) 823-3409.