The Trump administration has selected five private companies to negotiate access to weapons-grade plutonium from Cold War-era warheads.
The companies would convert the surplus plutonium into fuel for next-generation small modular nuclear reactors.
Critics warn the move could increase nuclear proliferation risks by setting a precedent for civilian use of weapons-grade material.
AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.
For years, the federal government has been working on turning old, unexploded warheads left over from the Cold War into a fuel for next-generation nuclear power plants. Now, a significant new deal in the works could allow five private companies to access weapons-grade plutonium for the first time — and convert it into electricity.
