Almost all HEU removed from Turkey

NNSA announced that it removed "the final 5.4 kilograms (11.9 pounds) of U.S.-origin highly enriched uranium (HEU) spent nuclear fuel" from Turkey as part of the GTRI program. The fuel was apparently taken from the Çekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center, which worked with NNSA to arrange the shipment. The 29 fuel assemblies from Turkey (along with 102 fuel assemblies from Israel) were delivered to the Savannah River Site in the United States.

According to NNSA, it was "the last significant amount of HEU in Turkey" - some small quantity of HEU apparently remains in the country.

World Nuclear News reports that Turkey received LEU fuel produced in France to continue operations of the reactor. That fuel was delivered in November 2009. The report also says that the HEU fuel was removed from the site on December 14, 2009. GTRI lists the shipment as having taken place on January 12, 2010.