Second quarter of 1999

Largest plutonium inventory in the world gains 9 tonnes in 1998

WISE-Paris, 28 June 1999

[Posted 28/06/1999]

Energy Minister John Battle just published UK civil plutonium and uranium stock figures for 1998.

Nine more tonnes have joined the British inventory of separated plutonium, the largest in the world, which had already more than doubled between 1987 and 1997. While there is no use for plutonium in Britain, the increase of the stockpile also stems from foreign plutonium separation which increased from 3.8 tonnes in 1996 to 10.2 in 1998.

UNITED KINGDOM

ANNUAL FIGURES FOR HOLDINGS OF CIVIL UNIRRADIATED PLUTONIUM

as of 31 Dec 1998 in Tonnes (Rounded to100kg) as of 31 Dec
1997 in Tonnes
(Rounded to 100kg)

1.Unirradiated separated plutonium in product stores at reprocessing plants


66.1
(57.4)

2.Unirradiated separated plutonium in the course of manufacture or fabrication and plutonium contained in unirradiated semi-fabricated or unfinished products at fuel or other fabricating plants or elsewhere.


0.8
(0.5)

3. Plutonium contained in unirradiated MOX fuel or other fabricated products at reactor sites or elsewhere.


2.2
(2.2)

4. Unirradiated separated plutonium held elsewhere.

0 (0)
TOTAL
(this line does not exist in the official document) 		69.1 (60.1)

Note:
(i) Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above belonging to foreign bodies : 10.2 (6.1)
(ii) Plutonium in any of the forms in lines 1-4 above held in locations in other countries and therefore not included above : 0.9 (0.9)
(iii) Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above which is in international shipment prior to its arrival in the recipient State : 0 (0)

source : Department of Trade and Industry - 21 June 1999

UNITED KINGDOM

ESTIMATED AMOUNTS OF PLUTONIUM CONTAINED IN SPENT CIVIL REACTOR FUEL

as of 31 Dec 1998
in tonnes
(Rounded to 1000kg) 		as of 31Dec1997
in tonnes
(Rounded to1000kg)

1. Plutonium contained in spent fuel at civil reactor sites.


6
(5)

2. Plutonium contained in spent fuel at reprocessing plants.


40
(42)

3. Plutonium contained in spent fuel held elsewhere.


less than 500kg
(less than 500kg)
TOTAL
(this line does not exist intheofficialdocument) 		46 47

Note:
i) The treatment of material sent for direct disposal will need further consideration when specific plans for direct disposal have taken concrete form.
ii) Definitions:
Line 1: covers estimated amounts of plutonium contained in fuel discharged from civil reactors;
Line 2: covers estimated amounts of plutonium contained in fuel received at reprocessing plants but not yet reprocessed.

Source : Department of Trade and Industry - 21 June 1999

National Totals
CIVIL HIGH ENRICHED URANIUM (HEU) 		as of 31 Dec 1998
(Rounded to nearest kg) 		(Previous year’s figure)

1. HEU stored at enrichment plants.

0 kg (0 kg)

2. HEU at fuel fabricating plants or at other processing facilities.

599 kg (538 kg)

3. HEU at civil reactor sites.

0 kg (0 kg)

4. HEU at locations other than civil reactor sites, enrichment, fabricating and processing plants (ie laboratories, research centres...)

773 kg (792 kg)

5. Irradiated HEU at civil reactor sites.

14 kg (14 kg)

6. Irradiated HEU at locations other than civil reactor sites.

274 kg (266 kg)
TOTAL
(this line does not exist in the official document) 		1,660 kg 1,610 kg

The definition of high enrichment uranium (HEU) is uranium enriched to 20% or more in uranium 235.

Source : Department of Trade and Industry - 21 June 1999

Annual figure for holdings of civil depleted, natural and low enriched uranium (DNLEU) in the civil nuclear fuel cycle : 91,200 tonnes (84,000 tonnes)

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