Technology26 May 2026SEO 801 min read

Analysis: Trump admin wants nuclear startups to use plutonium for their reactors

For decades, the U.S. has had a plutonium problem. Around 100 tons of the stuff was made during the Cold War to go into powerful atomic bombs. But as nuclear s…

For decades, the U.S. has had a plutonium problem. Around 100 tons of the stuff was made during the Cold War to go into powerful atomic bombs. But as nuclear stockpiles were dismantled, the government had to store the radioactive material in high-security facilities. Now, it wants startups to help get rid of some of it. The Department of Energy said Tuesday it has selected five nuclear startups to enter into negotiations with the government to receive a portion of the plutonium, which could pot…

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AnalysisTrumpadminwantsnuclearstartupsuseplutonium