[ RadSafe ] Dr Frank Barnaby on nuclear electricity and nuclearterrorism

[Jaro]

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl]On
Behalf Of Roger Helbig
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 3:47 AM


<SNIP>
Dr Barnaby said the use of nuclear power significantly increased the risk of
nuclear terrorist attacks.
"Nuclear power reactors inevitably produce plutonium as a by-product as they
burn their uranium fuel to generate electricity," he said.
<SNIP>
Dr Barnaby said the nuclear industry wanted to move soon to generation III
reactors and looked forward to the time when generation IV reactors would be
built.
"The nuclear fuel used in generation III and IV reactors will be based on
plutonium of a type ideal for the fabrication of the most effective nuclear
weapons," he said.
"The increased risk of the proliferation of nuclear weapons to states and
terrorists is one of the major arguments against moving to a new generation
of nuclear reactors."
<END QUOTE>


The plutonium produced in a nuclear power plant is a very poor material to
make weapons.
Particularly in new generation (including breeder) reactors -- the fuel
burnup is typically far higher than in the current generation of PWRs,
causing increased production of the heavier Pu isotopes.
Also, the higher U-enrichment (about triple or quadruple that of PWRs)
increases the production of Pu-238, which is the best denaturant of all.
In other words, Frank Barnaby is laying on the BS nice & thick.

 Jaro



 Jaro Franta, P.Eng.
Montréal, Québec
frantaj at aecl.ca
web master, CNS Québec branch:
http://www.cns-snc.ca/branches/quebec/quebec.html

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