Sergey Kiriyenko: Russia is going to create a guaranteed reserve of nuclear fuel at International Uranium Enrichment Center

19.09.2007 // Interfax

Russia is going to create a guarantee reserve of nuclear fuel at the International Uranium Enrichment Center in Angarsk

Russia is going to create a guaranteed reserve of nuclear fuel at the International Uranium Enrichment Center in Angarsk  sufficient for two refuelings of 1000 MW reactor, the head of Rosatom Sergey Kiriyenko said at the 51st IAEA General Conference in Vienna. The reserve will have the status of a branch of the IAEA nuclear fuel bank and will be managed by the agency.  “The fuel will be supplied upon IAEA decision if both the enriching party and the market have refused for political motives to supply fuel to any country developing peaceful nuclear energy.”

During his speech Kiriyenko urged the world nuclear powers to pass from plans to improve the non-proliferation system to real actions. “We clearly understand that the world is expecting specific actions rather than some beautiful promises,” Kiriyenko said. He pointed out that the first ever international center for uranium enrichment in Angarsk was supposed to become one of the key elements of the global nuclear energy infrastructure. “This center has been opened for third countries with no political preconditions,” Kiriyenko said.

He informed the audience that Russia was completing the projects for shutting down its plutonium producing reactors.  Over 313 tons of highly-enriched uranium have been processed into low enriched NPP fuel under the relevant Russian-US program. The program is to be completed in 2013. As much as 500 tons of highly enriched fuel will have been processed by that time.