To do so, a gaseous compound of uranium is passed through semi-permeable membranes with very minute pores. The U 235 passes through the membrane more readily than U 238 . One gram of plutonium is the energy equivalent of 15 barrels of oil, and the 38.2 metric tons of the nation's surplus plutonium is enough to provide electricity for a city the size of Austin for 40 years. This uranium oxide powder is used to make the fresh fuel elements for nuclear power plants. During the time the fuel element is in a nuclear reactor, a fraction of the uranium is transformed into plutonium.
Plutonium is a tremendous source of energy.
One gram of plutonium is the energy equivalent of 15 barrels of oil, and the 38.2 metric tons of the nation's surplus plutonium is enough to provide electricity for a city the size of Austin for 40 years. In Europe, the plutonium in the used fuel elements is separated chemically from the waste and recycled for use in mixed-oxide fuel a combination of uranium and plutonium oxides. The U.S. adheres to this policy despite the fact that many other nations have developed reprocessing programs. Disabling Weapons Plutonium Even though the U.S. government is opposed to a civilian plutonium fuel industry, it does see the merits of using the nation's surplus plutonium from nuclear weapons as nuclear fuel. When mixed with uranium and used in a nuclear power plant, weapons plutonium changes into a form of plutonium that is less suitable for use in a weapon.