But the final decision has not been made. The department has ended weapons production at Mound, a 306-acre site in suburban Miamisburg that is being converted into a business park. The Mound operation assembles devices called RTGs and heat sources.
Radioactive plutonium gives off heat, and RTGs convert the heat into electricity.
Plutonium-generated heat also keeps delicate spacecraft equipment from freezing in the cold of space. Wahlquist said the work could be moved to a site with a larger safety and technical infrastructure. He said it would involve modifying existing buildings and installing new equipment, but not building new facilities. Copyright 1998 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved.