I. INTERNATIONAL MOX NEWS AND UPDATES
A. BNFL: Falsified Records on MOX Pellets
The Independent newspaper reported on Sept. 14 that British Nuclear
Fuels Ltd. (BNFL) has admitted to falsifying quality control records on
MOX fuel pellet fabrication at its Sellafield Plant in Cumbria, UK.
Pellets are supposed to be sampled and measured at three check points to
ensure they are the correct size, but to save time, data sheets from
previously inspected MOX fuel batches were used, and at least 10
batches went uninspected. Pellets that are too large can expand and
damage fuel cladding; those that are too small can vibrate in the fuel rod
and possibly rupture. BNFL claims that the MOX fuel rods currently en
route to Japan (see below) were not affected by the lapse in quality
control. Nevertheless, MITI, the government body responsible for
Science and Environment in Japan, has ordered that the fuel be inspected
upon arrival before it can be loaded into reactors.
For a statement from Japan’s Anti-Plutonium Coalition (including
Greenpeace, Citizen’s Nuclear Information Center and Green Action) see:
www.wand.org/issuesact/moxbbdart1_9-14.html#japan.
(Thanks to Pete Roche of Greenpeace UK and Cumbrians Opposed to
a Radioactive Environment for this information.)
B.More Protests as MOX Fuel Shipment Nears Japan
Two British-flagged ships, the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail, carrying a
cargo of MOX fuel containing 450 kilograms of plutonium and each
armed with three 30-millimeter cannons, are expected to reach Japan on
September 22nd -- roughly two months after their departure from the
French port of Cherbourg and the BNFL plutonium factory at Sellafield.
The first stop will be at the No. 1 Fukushima nuclear power plant (Tokyo
Electric Power Co.) near the city of Iwaki, about 130 miles north of
Tokyo. The Pacific Teal is carrying the MOX fuel for the Fukushima
plant. The ships will then sail via the Tsugaru Strait to the main island of
Honshu (Fukui prefecture) and deliver the Pacific Pintail’s cargo of MOX
fuel to the Takahama nuclear power plant (Kansai Electric Power Co.) on
Sept. 27. BNFL has said it would like to conduct ten shipments per year
from Europe to Japan.
On August 28th, the two ships, whose routes have been kept secret by
BNFL, entered the 200-mile Australian Exclusive Economic Zone,
detouring to a position 100 nautical miles south of Albany in Western
Australia to meet an emergency airlift helicopter for evacuation of an
injured crew member. The Australian government had been told the ships
would not enter this zone and were not given prior notification of the
detour.
The shipment has a wide range of opponents, including Greenpeace
International, the South African Green Party, the Western Cape
Government of South Africa, peace, environmental, human rights,
women’s and church groups in Fiji, governments in the South Pacific and
Caribbean, the Government of Vanuatu, the New Zealand Parliament,
Greenpeace China, the Stop Nuclear Waste Campaign in Japan, KFEM (a
Korean environmental group), the Australian Labor party, and others,
including peace and arms control groups in the US.
In response to the shipments, Greenpeace International is sending its ship
"Arctic Sunrise" to Japan to raise public awareness of the threats posed
by Japan's plutonium program. On September 8, Greenpeace China
issued a press release charging Australia and other Western nations with
increasing the threat of nuclear proliferation in East Asia by their support
of Japan’s program.
For more information and copies of statements and declarations
protesting the MOX shipments see:
www.wand.org/issuesact/moxbbdart1_9-14.html.
For background briefings, route maps, and images of the plutonium
transport ships, see the Greenpeace International website at:
www.greenpeace.org.
(Thanks to Pete Roche of Greenpeace UK and Steve Dolley of
Nuclear Control Institute for this information. Other sources:
Kyodo News Service, Reuters.)
C. Anti-MOX Activism in Russia / Request for Help
An Antinuclear Camp near the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant in
Voronezh, Russia was established on August 17 to protest plans for
MOX fuel to be loaded in the Novovoronezh 5 reactor, which one
nuclear specialist at the plant described as “not made for this kind of
fuel.” The camp was organized by ECODEFENSE! and the Antinuclear
Campaign of the Socio-Ecological Union. About 20 activists were
arrested at the Camp while trying to chain themselves to the door of the
governor's office in Voronezh. Camp participants were from Russia,
Ukraine, Latvia, Finland, Great Britain and other countries.
On September 6, Camp coordinator, Vladimir Slivyak, director for
Antinuclear Campaign of the Socio-Ecological Union, was arrested
without cause at his home by the Moscow Criminal Investigation
Department (MUR), forced into their car, and questioned and threatened
for over 90 minutes. Only one MUR staff identified himself, and the
reason for the arrest was never given. The abductors questioned Slivyak
about his work with the environmental movement, threatened to plant
drugs in his bag, and told him they have linked environmental groups to
the recent terrorist bombing at Manezh. A colleague of Mr. Slivyak’s
who is active in environmental work was also recently threatened.
Vladimir Slivyak has worked with many anti-MOX activists around the
world and his harassment by MUR is being protested by numerous
groups. Sign-ons are being requested on a letter originated by Friends of
the Earth - Sydney. It will be sent out September 15th or 16th. A copy of
the letter can be found at: www.wand.org/issuesact/moxbbdart2_9-14.html.
For an email copy of the letter or to sign on, contact John
Hallam at FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign nonukes@foesyd.org.au.
(Thanks to Michael Mariotte of Nuclear Information and Resource Service
and Michelle Boyd of Institute for Energy and Environmental Research for
this information.)
II. DOE AND NRC INFORMATION
A. Public Meeting Related to MOX Licensing
On September 14th and 15th the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
will hold a public meeting in Rockville, MD on proposed amendments to
the 10 CFR Part 70 rulemaking and Standard Review Plan.
Why do we care?
The Standard Review Plan under 10 CFR Part 70 (CFR = Code of
Federal Regulations) will be used by the NRC to review the
Duke/Cogema/Stone & Webster license application for the MOX
Fabrication plant proposed for the Savannah River Site. The Plan is used
by the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards as guidance in
safety and environmental impact reviews of applications for proposed
facilities, such as the MOX Fab Plant.
The Nuclear Energy Institute (representing the nuclear industry) has
commented heavily on the draft revised plan. One example: the draft SRP
says that changes to site emergency plans must be submitted to local
response organizations to give them an opportunity for input. NEI
commented that this was “very time consuming,” and that the current
procedure should be maintained where licensees can make changes to the
plan and “offsite response organizations only be informed of such
changes.” Considering the MOX Plant will be making a product never
before fabricated in the US (or the world, given that it will entail weapons
plutonium), local responders might want to be more than just “informed”
of changes in emergency response plans.
Over half of the meeting time is dedicated to “discussion of comments
received.” The only “comments received” listed on the NRC website are
those from NEI.
For more information see:
http://ruleforum.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/rulemake?source=PR_Rulemaking
To see documents related to the proposed rulemaking, including
comments from NEI, see:
http://techconf.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/library?source=*&library=Part_70_lib&file=*
(Thanks to Steve Dolley of Nuclear Control Institute for this information.)
B. MOX Shipments to Canada Cleared
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has completed an Environmental
Assessment on the proposed shipments of MOX assemblies to Canada
for tests in CANDU reactors at Chalk River. DOE also released a
“Finding of No Significant Impact” (FONSI), meaning a full
Environmental Impact Statement will not be conducted. Shipments are to
begin this fall and will include 120 grams of plutonium each. The
preferred route passes through Oklahoma City, St. Louis, MO, Chicago,
IL, Flint MI, (and other cities) and enters Canada at Sault Ste. Marie.
Shipments may also be coming from Russia along a separate route.
CANDU reactors have been considered for burning MOX as part of US
and Russian plutonium disposition plans.
Numerous environmental groups, public officials, and the Mohawk
Council of Akwesasne are opposing the shipments. The mayor of Sault
Ste. Marie has called for public hearings. Campaign for Nuclear
Phaseout, Sierra Club of Canada, Northwatch, Canadian Coalition for
Nuclear Responsibility, Campaign STOP, and others are organizing
opposition efforts. To find out what you can do contact:
