Nuclear Waste is Seen As Bonanza

Aug 02 - Augusta Chronicle, The

Russian President Vladimir Putin is maneuvering to take the nuclear waste the rest of the world shuns, hoping for a financial boon- and President Bush, in a reversal of U.S. policy, is offering to help.

As part of the G-8 summit, the two countries will announce that they will begin negotiations on a civilian nuclear agreement that would clear the way for Mr. Putin to achieve one of his top energy goals: expanding his country's power reactors and using Russia's vast territory as a storehouse for the world's used reactor fuel.

A majority of the spent reactor fuel now at power plants - especially in such countries as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan - came from the United States and can't be shipped anywhere without U.S. approval.

The United States has civilian nuclear agreements with nearly two dozen countries, including China, but it has opposed negotiating one with Russia, mainly because Russia has been helping Iran develop its nuclear energy program.

While U.S. officials have emphasized the desire to increase cooperation with Russia on civilian nuclear matters, some major hurdles must be overcome before an agreement can be reached, including assurances that any U.S.-origin waste that would go to Russia will be secure and safe.

"There would have to be all kinds of technical details and safeguards worked out," said Stephen Hadley, Mr. Bush's national security adviser, adding, "It will take months to do."

Others say it could take years and may find strong opposition in Congress, which does not have to approve a deal but can veto it.

U.S. officials believe Mr. Putin wants the civilian nuclear agreement so much that it gives the administration leverage to get more cooperation from Russia to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"The Russians can make billions of dollars (from accepting foreign reactor waste) but only with U.S. OK. And that gives the United States a lot of leverage," says Matthew Bunn, a leading nuclear proliferation watchdog.