Once they may have been pointed at you; now they may keep your lights burning. For nearly 20 years United States nuclear power plants have been generating electricity using weapons-grade uranium from Cold War-era Russian nuclear warheads.
The program, expected to end in 2013, has recycled 450 metric tons of Russian bomb-grade uranium from dismantled warheads since 1994. It has at times generated as much as 10 percent of the U.S. electricity supply.
There are 104 working nuclear reactors in 31 states; the United States is among 30 countries that generate electricity via nuclear power.
Today’s infographic is interactive – be sure to click around and get all the details. Then consider the pros and cons of nuclear power, fueled by Russian warheads or not, in “What Do Others Say?” and today’s discussion thread.
