The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that five nuclear startups will negotiate to receive portions of 34 tons of plutonium identified for disposal, aiming to power a new generation of nuclear reactors.
Government's Disposal Challenge
Historically, the U.S. produced approximately 100 tons of plutonium during the Cold War for nuclear weapons. With disarmament, this material now requires secure storage. The Department of Energy's initiative seeks to address this challenge by repurposing some of the plutonium as reactor fuel.
Startups Selected for Negotiations
The five startups selected are Oklo, Standard Nuclear, Shine Technologies, Flibe Energy, and Exodys Energy. Oklo, developing reactors capable of using traditional uranium and plutonium, benefited from Chris Wright's involvement, though he resigned from Oklo's board upon joining the administration. Oklo's board chair, Sam Altman, also resigned last year.
Exodys Energy is developing a reactor using mixed oxide fuel (MOX), blending uranium and plutonium. Flibe Energy aims to use plutonium and other fission by-products in its reactors. MOX is currently produced in France, while U.K.-based Newcleo plans to build a MOX fuel fabrication facility in South Carolina after a previous U.S. project was canceled due to budget and timeline issues.
Concerns and Next Steps
The use of plutonium from nuclear weapons raises significant security concerns. Scott Roecker of the Nuclear Threat Initiative noted that while repurposing plutonium as fuel seems beneficial, it poses substantial liabilities, suggesting permanent disposal might be necessary.
The chosen startups will now advance in negotiations with the government, focusing on security and transportation of the plutonium.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/26/trump-administration-wants-nuclear-startups-to-use-plutonium-for-their-reactors/
