See the end of that document for discussion of Pu-238 from the UK and France. Notably it was thought in 1993 that France could have Pu-238 production going in a period of a few years ("late 90s" from 1993). To my knowledge the Pu-238 situation in France has not changed one way or the other since then. If the situation is either no more Pu-238, or Pu-238 in several years from France, then I would say that going to the French isn't a terrible idea. We didn't pursue getting Pu-238 from the French at the time because we thought that Russia was going to have us covered.
What's the point of referring to a 1993 document when the 2009 document I pointed to says "The committee does not believe that there is any additional 238Pu (or any operational 238Pu production facilities) available anywhere in the world."
Yes, anyone with nuclear reactors is functionally able to make 238Pu. The document outlined a possible alternative method to use a 5 MW, licensed TRIGA reactor, available at various universities and in many countries.
> "If the situation is either no more Pu-238, or Pu-238 in several years from France, then I would say that going to the French isn't a terrible idea."
Why do you think that situation exists when the authors of the National Research Council report on the topic thinks it's not possible?
The document says that extensive French facility modifications would be needed, and further discussion would be needed even to establish that that option could be considered. Unlike the UK discussion, there isn't even a mention of how much France might be able to produce. That's your optimism? Is such a facility even still available some 20 years later?
So your suggestion is that the US should convince a foreign country to make extensive changes, plus do years of production? Interesting. Why is that better than making it in the US?
Certainly. And pigs may fly. But why do you think your conjecture has any basis in reality, much less is more believable than the report from the aforementioned council?
This is is a situation that has been discused for some time: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/nepapub/nepa_documents/Re...
See the end of that document for discussion of Pu-238 from the UK and France. Notably it was thought in 1993 that France could have Pu-238 production going in a period of a few years ("late 90s" from 1993). To my knowledge the Pu-238 situation in France has not changed one way or the other since then. If the situation is either no more Pu-238, or Pu-238 in several years from France, then I would say that going to the French isn't a terrible idea. We didn't pursue getting Pu-238 from the French at the time because we thought that Russia was going to have us covered.