Russia, U.S. to complete warheads-to-fuel program in 2013

PanARMENIAN.Net - The landmark Russian-US Megatons to Megawatts nuclear nonproliferation program will be completed later this year, according a joint statement issued by the two countries, according to RIA Novosti.

The document, signed during the ongoing conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, confirms that the final shipment to the United States of low enriched uranium (LEU) converted from Russian highly enriched uranium (HEU) is scheduled for November. The agreement was signed by the head of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) Sergei Kirienko and U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman.

The final delivery will mark the completion of a 20-year program that saw the conversion of 500 metric tons of HEU from dismantled Russian nuclear warheads for use as commercial reactor fuel for U.S. power plants.