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GAO Raises Questions about Adequate Supply of Lithium-7 for Nuclear Power Reactors
http://democrats.science.house.gov/press-release/gao-raises-questions-about-adequate-supply-lithium-7-nuclear-power-reactors
GAO Raises Questions about Adequate Supply of Lithium-7 for Nuclear Power Reactors
Oct 9, 2013
(Washington, DC) - In a new report the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raises serious concerns about the future U.S. supply of Lithium-7, a critical radioactive isotope required for the safe operation of more than half of the nation’s nuclear power plants. The report, “MANAGING CRITICAL ISOTOPES: Stewardship of Lithium-7 Is Needed to Ensure a Stable Supply,” was requested by Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Science, Space & Technology.
Currently there are 100 operating nuclear power plants in the U.S., 65 of which are Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). These reactors supply an estimated 13-percent of U.S. electricity needs. Lithium-7 (Li-7) is used to reduce the pH level or acidity in the cooling water of these types of nuclear plants and separately they are added to demineralizers to filter contaminants out of the reactor’s cooling water. The absence of Li-7 can lead to increased corrosion of the pipes in the reactor reducing its longevity and causing potential safety hazards.
The U.S. has not produced a domestic supply of lithium-7 since 1963 because the process that had been used to manufacture Li-7 was riddled with equipment failures and used large amounts of mercury, a harmful chemical that exposed workers to health risks and contaminated the environment. Since then the U.S. has acquired its lithium-7 supplies from Russia and China, the sole global exporters of this critical isotope. In its investigation GAO determined that there is cause for concern that the future supply of lithium-7 from these nations may be shrinking.
The GAO report concluded that the DOE’s Isotope Program has failed to assume its stewardship responsibility for lithium-7 and has underestimated both domestic demand for lithium-7 and the technical challenges industry may face in coping with a supply disruption. “In the end, without a full awareness of supply risks and an accurate assessment of domestic demand,” concluded GAO, “utilities may not be prepared for a shortage of lithium-7. This leaves the reactors that depend on lithium-7 vulnerable to supply disruptions that, if not addressed, could lead to their shutdown.” The GAO recommended that the Secretary of Energy direct the Isotope Program to take a more active role in assessing lithium-7 supply risks, communicating those risks to industry, determining domestic demand and ensuring risks are appropriately managed.
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GAO Raises Questions about Adequate Supply of Lithium-7 for Nuclear Power Reactors
Oct 9, 2013
(Washington, DC) - In a new report the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raises serious concerns about the future U.S. supply of Lithium-7, a critical radioactive isotope required for the safe operation of more than half of the nation’s nuclear power plants. The report, “MANAGING CRITICAL ISOTOPES: Stewardship of Lithium-7 Is Needed to Ensure a Stable Supply,” was requested by Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Science, Space & Technology.
Currently there are 100 operating nuclear power plants in the U.S., 65 of which are Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). These reactors supply an estimated 13-percent of U.S. electricity needs. Lithium-7 (Li-7) is used to reduce the pH level or acidity in the cooling water of these types of nuclear plants and separately they are added to demineralizers to filter contaminants out of the reactor’s cooling water. The absence of Li-7 can lead to increased corrosion of the pipes in the reactor reducing its longevity and causing potential safety hazards.
The U.S. has not produced a domestic supply of lithium-7 since 1963 because the process that had been used to manufacture Li-7 was riddled with equipment failures and used large amounts of mercury, a harmful chemical that exposed workers to health risks and contaminated the environment. Since then the U.S. has acquired its lithium-7 supplies from Russia and China, the sole global exporters of this critical isotope. In its investigation GAO determined that there is cause for concern that the future supply of lithium-7 from these nations may be shrinking.
The GAO report concluded that the DOE’s Isotope Program has failed to assume its stewardship responsibility for lithium-7 and has underestimated both domestic demand for lithium-7 and the technical challenges industry may face in coping with a supply disruption. “In the end, without a full awareness of supply risks and an accurate assessment of domestic demand,” concluded GAO, “utilities may not be prepared for a shortage of lithium-7. This leaves the reactors that depend on lithium-7 vulnerable to supply disruptions that, if not addressed, could lead to their shutdown.” The GAO recommended that the Secretary of Energy direct the Isotope Program to take a more active role in assessing lithium-7 supply risks, communicating those risks to industry, determining domestic demand and ensuring risks are appropriately managed.
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Shut 'em down.
They're dirty, dangerous, expensive, and unnecessary.
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