About that wonderful Iran nuclear deal - from Frank Munger writing at Atomic City Underground:
ORNL benefits from Iran deal; heavy water will enhance operations at Spallation Neutron Source
Oak Ridge National Laboratory last year provided scientific and technical expertise to the team that negotiated the Iranian nuclear agreement in Vienna, and the lab is now reaping benefits from that historic accord.
The Obama administration, according to multiple news reports, is buying 32 tons of heavy water from Iran. Heavy water is a key component in development of nuclear weapons and can be used in certain types of nuclear reactors that produce plutonium, and the deal — estimated at $8.6 million — will reportedly help Iran meet commitments for reducing its stockpile of weapons-making material.
The United States does not currently have a source for producing heavy water, and the deal with Iran will help meet a number of needs.
Emphasis mine - excuse me but heavy water is not that difficult to make - just requires a lot of electrical energy. Check out this video from Cody's Lab to see how you can make it for yourself (part one of five):
First of all, we are spending money to buy this product from Iran. Why is Iran making it? Because they are selling it to other nations who want to develop their own nuclear weapons (hello North Korea and Saudi Arabia). They are manufacturing it - this is not some stockpile that we are drawing down, this is a source of revenue for the Iranian government and they are taking everyone's money.
Second, why are we not making our own? We have areas with lots of energy - our own Pacific Northwest has enough to provide cheap power for an aluminium refinery. How about all of those solar arrays that have no usable output during night but generate surplus energy during the daytime - divert that energy to Deuterium production.
One small reactor would generate enough power to satisfy the needs of the USA, Canada and most research facilities throughout the world. Why do we need to fund terrorism and buy from our enemies?
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