Use of the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant as an International Plutonium Storage facility

The Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP) is a large scale commercial fuel reprocessing plant located near Barnwell, South Carolina that could be operating within four years of the decision to fund that objective. Its operation would provide an opportunity, unique within the United States, to test and evaluate the mechanics of running an International Plutonium Storage (IPS) facility under IAEA control. The IPS would consist of either the existing plutonium nitrate storage facility with a capacity of up to 16,000 kg of plutonium or an as yet unbuilt plutonium oxide facility storage vault with a capacity of up to 40,000 kg of plutonium. The issues of material accountancy, data collection, and material control are addressed with the objectives of running the BNFP as a demonstration IPS under sponsorship of the United States Government