07/03/09

TITLE: NNSA Announces Removal of Last Highly Enriched Uranium from Romania; Air Shipment of Russian-Origin Spent Fuel
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Time: 08:25:34

ARTICLE

The National Nuclear Security Administration today announced the final shipments of Russian-origin highly enriched uranium (HEU) nuclear fuel from Romania.  The material was removed and returned to Russia by air for storage at two secure nuclear facilities, making Romania the first country to remove all HEU since President Obama outlined his commitment to securing all vulnerable nuclear material around the world within four years.  This was also the first time NNSA has shipped “spent” HEU by airplane, a development that will help accelerate efforts to meet the President’s objective.

“With these shipments, all HEU has been successfully removed from Romania,” said NNSA Administrator Thomas D’Agostino.  “This represents a major step forward in NNSA’s ongoing efforts to implement President Obama’s unprecedented nuclear security agenda by securing vulnerable nuclear materials worldwide and reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism.  Not only do these shipments clean-out the last of the HEU in Romania, but the successful use of an airplane to return spent fuel to Russia opens new opportunities to accelerate our schedule of spent fuel shipments.  We very much appreciate the efforts of Romania, Russia, and the International Atomic Energy Agency in this cooperative effort