The impending retirement of the executive leading the drive to burn plutonium fuel at the commercial nuclear power plant north of Richland shouldn't harm the reactor's chances, officials say.

The Washington Public Power Supply System will keep Joe Burn under contract for at least the next two years, said the utility's chief legal officer, Al Mouncer.

Burn was been in charge of WPPSS efforts to secure plutonium to mix with its regular uranium fuel.

The Department of Energy announced earlier this month that it would allow plutonium to be burned in commercial nuclear reactors as a method to dispose of bomb material.

Several utilities are seeking to burn the plutonium because it would lower fuel costs.

Burn, 64, has been in charge of the WPPSS plutonium program for about a year. He has worked at WPPSS for about 15 years. He previously was engineering director for the utility.

The consulting agreement not only will keep Burn working for WPPSS in the plutonium field but also keep his expertise out of the hands of others, Mouncer said.

Burn has been contacted by other utilities seeking to employ him, Mouncer said.

The contract goes into effect Jan. 1. During the first year, Burn will get $130 an hour for 750 hours, or $97,500. During the second year of the contract, he will receive $130 an hour for 250 hours, or $32,500.

Burn couldn't be reached for comment Thursday. He was in Washington, D.C., discussing plutonium with Department of Energy officials.