US Removes Enriched Uranium from Obsolete Venezuelan Reactor
The United States and Venezuela, coordinated with the United Kingdom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), successfully completed the extraction and transfer of 13.5 kilograms of enriched uranium from Venezuela. The radioactive material, enriched to over 20 percent, had been stored since 1991 following the decommissioning of the RV-1 nuclear research reactor at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC). The operation, conducted in late April under strict IAEA oversight, involved land transport to Puerto Cabello and sea shipment to the US Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez cited increased security risks following a January US military strike near the reactor as a catalyst for the urgent removal. The US Embassy hailed the operation as a significant victory for global nuclear security, noting that the recovered material will support research and technology development, including medical isotopes and small modular reactors. This collaborative effort aims to eliminate nuclear proliferation risks in South America while adhering to international safety standards and non-proliferation treaties.
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