Third quarter of 2000

Largest plutonium inventory in the world gains 3 tonnes in 1999

UK Department of Trade and Industry limits access to national plutonium inventory figures.

WISE-Paris, 10 July 2000

[Posted 10/07/2000]

Following Parliamentary question by Dr. George Turner, the UK Government issued updated figures on plutonium and high enriched uranium stocks. But by placing these figures in the Parliament library, the DTI forbid access to journalists.

Written Answers from the House of Commons
Ref. 596W, 13 June 2000

Civil Plutonium and Uranium

Dr. George Turner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish figures for the United Kingdom's stocks of civil plutonium and uranium as at 31 December 1999. [126232]

Mrs. Lidell:
I have today placed in the Libraries of the House figures for the United Kingdom showing national holdings of civil plutonium and uranium as at 31 December 1999. In accordance with our commitment under the "Guidance for the Management of Plutonium", I have today sent a copy of the figures to the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who will be circulating it to members states in due course.

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The data : UK plutonium and high enriched uranium stocks for 1999, 1998 and 1997

Three 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 11.8 in 1999.

UNITED KINGDOM

ANNUAL FIGURES FOR HOLDINGS OF CIVIL UNIRRADIATED PLUTONIUM

as of 31 Dec 1999 in Tonnes
(Rounded to 100kg)
as of 31 Dec 1998 in Tonnes (Rounded to 100kg) as of 31 Dec 1997 in Tonnes
(Rounded to 100kg)

1.Unirradiated separated plutonium in product stores at reprocessing plants

69,5
 (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 (0.8) (0.5)

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

2,2 (2.2) (2.2)

4. Unirradiated separated plutonium held elsewhere.

0 (0) (0)
TOTAL
(this line does not exist in the official document) 		72,5 (69.1) (60.1)

Note:
(i) Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above belonging to foreign bodies : 11,8 (1998: 10.2; 1997: 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 (1998:0.9; 1997: 0.9)
(iii) Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above which is in international shipment prior to its arrival in the recipient State : 0 (1998: 0; 1997: 0)

source : Department of Trade and Industry

UNITED KINGDOM
ESTIMATED AMOUNTS OF PLUTONIUM CONTAINED IN SPENT CIVIL REACTOR FUEL as of 31 Dec 1999
in tonnes
(Rounded to 1000kg) 		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.

7 (5,6) (5)

2. Plutonium contained in spent fuel at reprocessing plants.

39 (40,2) (42,1)

3. Plutonium contained in spent fuel held elsewhere.

less than 500kg (less than 500kg) (less than 500kg)
TOTAL
(this line does not exist intheofficialdocument) 		46 (45,8) (47,1)

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


National Totals
CIVIL HIGH ENRICHED URANIUM (HEU) 		as of 31 Dec 1999
as of 31 Dec 1998
(Rounded to nearest kg) 		as of 31 Dec 1997
(Rounded to nearest kg)

1. HEU stored at enrichment plants.

0 kg (0 kg) (0 kg)

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

595 kg (599 kg) (538 kg)

3. HEU at civil reactor sites.

0 kg (0 kg) (0 kg)

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

773 kg (773 kg) (792 kg)

5. Irradiated HEU at civil reactor sites.

14 kg (14 kg) (14 kg)

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

277 kg (274 kg) (266 kg)
TOTAL
(this line does not exist in the official document) 		1659 kg (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

Annual figure for holdings of civil depleted, natural and low enriched uranium (DNLEU) in the civil nuclear fuel cycle:
91,500 tonnes (1998: 91,200 tonnes, 1997: 84,000 tonnes)

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