Office for Nuclear Regulation
An agency of HSE

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Annual figures for holdings of civil unirradiated plutonium

United Kingdom - Annual Figures for holdings of civil unirradiated plutonium

National totals as of 31 Dec 2008

  (Previous year’s figures in brackets) Rounded to 100 kg plutonium with quantities less than 50 kg reported as such
TONNES
1. Unirradiated separated plutonium in product stores at reprocessing plants. 104.7 (103.8)
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.   1.3 (1.3)
3. Plutonium contained in unirradiated MOX fuel or other fabricated products at reactor sites or elsewhere. 1.9 (1.9)
4. Unirradiated separated plutonium held elsewhere. 1.1 (1.0)
Total 109.1 (108.0)
Note:    
(i) Plutonium included in lines 1-4 above belonging to foreign bodies. 27.0 (26.8)
(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)

Estimated amounts of plutonium contained in spent civil reactor fuel

National totals as of 31 Dec 2008

  (Previous year’s figures in brackets) Rounded to 1000 kg plutonium with quantities less than 500 kg reported as such
1. Plutonium contained in spent fuel at civil reactor sites. 7 (6)
2. Plutonium contained in spent fuel at reprocessing plants. 28 (29)
3. Plutonium contained in spent fuel held elsewhere. Less than 500kg (Less than 500kg)

Note

  1. The treatment of material sent for direct disposal will need further consideration when specific plans for direct disposal have taken concrete form.

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.

United Kingdom - Annual figures for holdings of civil high enriched uranium (HEU)

National totals As of 31 Dec 2008 (Previous year’s figures in brackets)
1. HEU stored at enrichment plants 0 kg (0 kg)
2. HEU at fabricating plants or at other reprocessing facilities 347 kg (357 kg)
3. HEU at civil reactor sites 0 kg (0 kg)
4. HEU at locations other than civil reactor sites, enrichment fabricating and reprocessing plants (e.g. laboratories, research centres) 923 kg (938 kg)
5. Irradiated HEU at civil reactor sites 10 kg (10 kg)
6. Irradiated HEU at locations other than civil reactor sites 131 kg (132 kg)
Total 1,412 kg (1,437 kg)

The definition of high enriched uranium (HEU) is uranium enriched to 20% or more in uranium 235
Annual figures for holdings of civil depleted, natural and low enriched uranium (DNLEU) in the civil nuclear fuel cycle:

97,400 tonnes (96,400 tonnes)#

# To nearest 100 tonnes

Updated 2012-10-16