September 11, 2001

The Plutonium Immobilization Plant at the Savannah River Site

In September 2000, the United States and the Russian Federation entered into an agreement stipulating that each country would irreversibly transform 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium into forms that cannot be used for weapons purposes. As part of the United States' commitment, the Department of Energy has developed plans to dispose of 8.4 metric tons of the plutonium and convert 25.6 metric tons into mixed oxide reactor fuel. Both operations are to take place at the Savannah River Site (Site).