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14 Sep 1999
Responding to concerns over serious safety lapses at Sellafield concerning plutonium fuel rods manufactured for export, Dr Patrick Green, Senior Nuclear Campaigner said.
"This damning revelation is another nail in the coffin for BNFL's new plutonium fuel factory and will not increase City confidence in its operations prior to privatisation. We already knew that BNFL's economic case for plutonium fuel is deeply suspect, now we know that its safety standards are just not up to the job. This can only increase the likelihood that BNFL's overseas customers won't sign contracts for plutonium fuel. The Government must not let this dangerous plant start full operation."
These safety revelations about procedures at BNFL prototype plutonium fuel plant come only weeks after FOE revealed that BNFL had a 70% chance of making a loss - and failing to even cover its start-up, operational and decommissioning costs - with its full scale plutonium fuel plant. DETR is currently considering evidence assembled after a third public consultation into whether this new plant should be allowed to open.
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