UK: BNFL UNDER MORE PRESSURE OVER SAFETY

Article Abstract:

British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) is understood to have altered the way it evaluates the safety of plutonium fuel but only informed the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) after a report on the changes in The Independent newspaper. NII director, Laurence Williams, confirmed the fact BNFL kept him in the dark over the changes on 7 March 2000. BNFL altered its methods for measuring the diameters of fuel pellets manufactured using uranium and plutonium mixed oxides (Mox) destined for nuclear reactors. Mr Williams noted that safety has not been compromised by the safety changes when quizzed by MPs on the ability of the NII to examine safety standards at the Sellafield reprocessing facility run by BNFL.

Financial management, Primary Smelting and Refining of Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum), Uranium Metal, Finance, Uranium industry, Uranium

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UK: BNFL'S MISTAKE OVER MOX FUEL?

Article Abstract:

British Nuclear Fuels' (BNFL) decision to focus on mixed oxide (Mox) fuel was criticised on 21 March 2000 by a top economist, who urged the group to withdraw totally from nuclear waste reprocessing. Mox will become a financial burden and an unprofitable business for BNFL, according to the science policy research unit energy programme leader at Sussex University, Gordon MacKerron. Dr MacKerron believes that the lack of commercial logic with regard to Mox fuel would lead to its decline on world markets. He noted that in order to break even, Sellafield's GB[pound] 300mn Mox facility would have to run at 30%-40% of total capacity. Dr MacKerron believes a fourfold increase in uranium is needed before Mox became a desirable fuel commercially.

Strategy & planning, Sales & consumption, Electric services, CHEMICALS AND ALLIED PRODUCTS, Planning

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