U.S. Removes Highly Enriched Uranium from Venezuela, Says It Strengthens Global Nuclear Security

[The Financial News] The U.S. government, which attacked Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro Moros in January, said it had removed highly enriched uranium (HEU) from Venezuela.
The United States Department of State said in a press release on the 14th (local time), "The United States, together with Venezuela and the United Kingdom and with technical support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), successfully removed excess HEU from Venezuela's shut-down RV-1 nuclear reactor."
In general, uranium enriched to more than 90% can be used as material for a nuclear bomb. Internationally, low-enriched uranium at 3.67% is accepted for civilian nuclear power generation, but HEU is subject to sanctions. In the case of Iran, it was reported to have about 440 kg of uranium enriched to more than 60% before U.S. and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities in June last year.
RV-1 was Venezuela's first and only reactor. It was originally built for peaceful scientific research, but was later repurposed for gamma-ray sterilization of medical supplies, food and other materials.
The State Department said U.S. agencies led the HEU removal effort, including the Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the Department of Energy. It added that the operation was completed more than two years ahead of the original schedule.
The State Department said, "At the end of April, Venezuela packaged and prepared for transfer the HEU from the RV-1 research reactor, which had been supplied as part of America's historic nuclear peaceful program. The HEU was then safely transported by the United Kingdom earlier this month to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, a DOE nuclear materials processing complex, for disposal."
The NNSA has so far confirmed the successful removal or disposal of more than 7,340 kg of weapons-usable nuclear material worldwide. The State Department said, "This operation reflected the highest level of U.S. leadership, which is decisive, practical and focused on protecting Americans." It added, "By leading the effort to remove dangerous nuclear material from Venezuela, the United States made itself safer and strengthened global nuclear security."


pjw@fnnews.com Park Jong-won Reporter