US senator says he is concerned energy secretary acting in nuclear firm’s interest

US senator Edward Markey said that on Tuesday, President Donald Trump worked for the benefit of the US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, formerly a member of the board of directors of the nuclear energy company Oklo. Market, a democrat, said that the administration is proceeding with the plans to allow Oklo to build a nuclear waste re -processing facility and allow the government to transfer the plutonium as fuel in the planned reactor projects. “Oklo provides financial benefits and is acting in the attention of his former company,” Oklo provides financial benefits. ” He said.

The White House sent a request to the energy department that does not respond immediately. Oklo said there was no comment.

Oklo said he plans to build and operate a facility to re -process the nuclear waste this month.
In August, Reuters reported that the government plans to offer 20 metric tons of plutonium to nuclear companies. Oklo did not say that he wanted to use Plutonium and the section did not announce plans for the material. However, an energy department source said Oklo touched the agency about using radioactive metal and that senior energy officials chatted with the company. Market asked Trump questions about Wright’s decision -making connection and the Republican secretary’s financial interest. In May, Trump ordered the government to stop most of its current program to give up plutonium and to provide it as fuel for reactors.

The idea of ​​using excess plutonium as fuel and removal from nuclear waste is related to nuclear security experts who say that it may increase the risks of proliferation and make the US not to follow technologies similar to other countries.