More nukes headed to, through state

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The two plans were filed with the state and federal governments this week. The plutonium shipment was revealed in an export license application and should move through the state in July or August 2004. The nuclear reactor will be in the state later this month.

While anti-nuclear activists are concerned about the reactor shipment, they are most concerned with the plutonium coming to Charleston. There is no way to determine whether either shipment will come through the Upstate.

"This is unprecedented," said Tom Clements, of Greenpeace's nuclear campaign. "Research reactor fuel does come in through Charleston, so they do have some experience, but not with shipments that pose such a nuclear weapons proliferation risk."

According to the export license, the plutonium will be 140 kilograms — about 310 pounds — of "plutonium oxide." Plutonium oxide is a powder form of the deadly metal. The powder will be shipped from Charleston to Cherbourg, France.

"It could be easily dispersed in any kind of accident or attack," Clements said, adding the shipment was enough for 50 nuclear weapons.

Critics of Gov. Mark Sanford said Friday he should be putting up more of a fight to prevent nuclear material from shipping through the state.

"You don't build relationships with folks by threatening to lie down in front of the trucks," said Sanford spokesman Will Folks, referring to threats made by former Gov. Jim Hodges to stop plutonium shipments. "You build relationships by raising concerns through appropriate channels."

State Rep. Robert Brown, D-Hollywood, was bothered by the prospect of powdered plutonium coming through Charleston and said he would fight the shipments.

"What has cooperation done for us in the past?" he asked. "Cooperation is a good thing, but we need to tell the federal government we don't want it coming through Charleston County at all."

Folks said Sanford has met with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham on several occasions and said the governor will monitor the shipments.

The plutonium that leaves Charleston will be converted to mixed-oxide, or MOX, fuel. MOX fuel takes weapons-grade plutonium and transforms it for use in commercial nuclear reactors. The MOX program is a key part of an agreement between the United States and Russia to dismantle nuclear arms.

A plant to manufacture MOX is planned to begin production in 2009 at the Savannah River Site near Aiken.

Once the plutonium is converted to MOX fuel, it will be shipped back to Charleston on its way to two Duke Energy nuclear reactors near Charlotte, where it will be tested.

The reactor dump is much less of a concern because, as Tim Petrosky, the spokesman for Consumers Energy, the owner of the reactor said, low-level nuclear waste is transported across the country every day. The reactor is low-level despite being used for 35 years.

"General members of the public will receive no radiation from the shipment," he said.

The reactor was treated with chemicals and is in a steel container with walls seven inches thick. Empty spaces in the reactor have been filled with low-density concrete and the entire package weighs nearly 290 tons.

Petrosky said the reactor was moved Tuesday and Wednesday by a special heavy-load truck from the nuclear plant, which closed in 1997, to a rail siding in the northern end of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. On Thursday, the reactor was transferred to the rail car, where it will be welded and bolted to the rail car before leaving next week, Petrosky said.

The rail car is the same one that transported the Yankee Rowe reactor from Massachusetts to South Carolina in 1997.

He also said after consultations with law enforcement, the route will be kept secret. However, he did say the train will travel 25 mph and only during daylight hours, meaning the reactor won't make it to the Barnwell low-level nuclear waste dump until the end of the month.

When it gets to Barnwell, workers will bury the reactor under 40 feet of earth.

Jason Zacher covers the environment and natural resources. He can be reached at 298-4272.