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This can't possibly end badly ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿป (europe.pub)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/aboringdystopia@lemmy.world
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/71314470

Power of the "free market"

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[โ€“] 4 points 3 months ago (5 children)

This leaves much to be desired and I will venture out to find answers to the following questions:

  • what are the requiremnts for private companies to recieve plutonium?

  • what quantaties can be recieved?

  • are there any start-ups already in the program?

  • what are they planning to do with the plutonium (it's fairly obvious, but a girl can dream)

  • who pays for that shit? Like it is feckin expensive?

  • will the demon core be part of the distribution? >:) ( I won't research that. Partially because the official story is that it has been molten down and reintegrated into the US stockpile. And I do not wish death by blue lightning on anyone. Aside from that, I am not even sure the core was plutonium or a different metal)

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  • [โ€“] 7 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 child)

    **What are they planning to do with the plutonium? **

    The plutonium is meant to be dialuted to nuclear fuel. Weapons grade plutonium sits at 90% refinemnet and above, while nuclear fuel is close to ~5%.

    I am not sure how complicated this procedure is. I am not aware of any other governemts doing this.

    The only point of reference which comes to mind is spent fuel being recycled into fuel that can be used in a reactor again, which is rarely practiced. This however may be a fairly diefferent procedure than dialution (of the weapons grade plutonium in question) and closer to a refinement process, since I guess you'd want to get rid of fission products found in spent fuel.

    Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2026/05/26/trump-admin-will-provide-startups-with-old-plutonium-for-reactor-fuel/

    Are there any start ups already in the program?

    The companies chosen include Oklo, Exodys Energy, SHINE Technologies, Standard Nuclear and Flibe Energy, according to the reports citing the DoE. Source: see forbes article from above

    Who pays for that shit? Couldn't find detailed info on that yet. However recovery of cost is possibly a factor in the selection process of inteterested start-ups.

    What quantities can be recieved?

    While I could not find a per-company limit, there are supposedly 20metric tonnes up for redistribution.

    Source: https://www.ans.org/news/article-8075/doe-selects-five-companies-to-negotiate-receipt-of-surplus-us-plutonium/

    what requierments have to be met?

    Facilities suited for the handling of the hazardous material, including safety concepts for safe transport from and to the site, which preferably is located in the US. However sites in other states can be registered (here the article kinda lost me. Sorry, it's like 30ยฐC here past feckin midnight. I am tired, boss.)

    will edit further whilst researching

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  • [โ€“] 3 points 3 months ago

    Oklo is Altman linked. So he's getting paid to provide power for the whole mess he's helped create. Not sure why this is using a photo of Luckey Palmer, who is Anduril. Not sure which guy is worse, tbh.

    But the US also has a long track record of giving private industry access to nuclear contracts and material. DOE has oversight, but private enterprise is inexorably linked with the military industrial complex.

    This whole spent plutonium for energy (to power AI) is a new bend, though.

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  • [+] 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)
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  • [โ€“] 1 point 3 months ago (1 child)

    Oh no! Oh yes? Oh no? Not sure if I am a fan of their weapons being unmaintained because, yeah, fuck nuclear weapons! Or if I a pretty concerned because it further diminishes the US's international power and I am worried about the consequences for Europe.

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