SOME EXPERIENCE IN THE FABRICATION OF PLUTONIUM BEARING PELLETS

The nuclear industry is rapidly approaching another milestone in the development of competitive nuclear power production. We have seen the industry grow from the first few prototype reactors sized at about 150 MWu to the reactors now being constructed at 500 and greater MW_. All £ E of these reactors have been producing plutonium that has been stored in the spent fuel discharged from the reactors. With the start-up of the first commercial spent fuel recovery facility, commercial plutonium will shortly become available. It has been estimated that 516 kgs of plutonium has been generated through 1965 with current production of about 180 kgs per year. It is estimated that the annual rate will increase to 370 kgs in 1968 and to 850 kgs in 1969 and 70. After that, the annual production will increase greatly as the new 500 MW plants begin to discharge spent fuel. The value of the plutonium inventory soon will be so great that an outlet must be developed to economically consume this byproduct of nuclear power.