The plutonium stocks — The growth continues

   The quantities of separated plutonium stocked on French territory continue to increase, although more slowly, reaching 75.9 tons on 31 December 1998 (up 5% compared to 1997), the last figure published by the government, of which 40.3 tons (up by 1.6 tons) is French plutonium and 35.6 tons (up by 2 tons) belong to foreign clients. France has not made any new declaration to date. According to the estimate by WISE-Paris, the stocks have continued to increase during 1999 to reach some 41.1 tonnes for French plutonium and some 37 tonnes for foreign plutonium. With 20 nuclear reactors authorized to load MOX fuel, and already loaded (some of which alternate with UOX fuel), the principle of "equality of flow" vaunted by nuclear organisms is far from being realized.

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