§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent there has been an increase in the volume of design work on reactor systems and other plant, respectively, which has been placed with industrial firms in the last year by the Atomic Energy Authority.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am advised by the Atomic Energy Authority that the volume of design work on reactor systems and other plant associated with the civil nuclear power programme138W carried out by industry on behalf of the Authority is at the same level in 1961–62 as it was in 1960–61.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how much was received by the Atomic Energy Authority from the sale of fuel elements in 1960–61; how much they expect to receive from such sales in 1961–62; whether he is satisfied that the supply of fuel elements for civil nuclear power stations is up to schedule; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am informed by the Atomic Energy Authority that they received£2 million from the sale of fuel elements in 1960–61 in addition to£61 million advance payments received in 1959–60. They expect to receive about£13 million from fuel element sales in 1961–62. Deliveries of fuel elements for the civil nuclear power stations are being made in accordance with the delivery schedules agreed between the Authority and the Electricity Generating Boards.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science to what extent the fuel canning lines at the Atomic Energy Authority factory at Springfields are now employed; when he expects them to be working to full capacity; what plans the Authority have for the construction of further fuel element fabrication plants; and what discussions have taken place with the industrial consortia and the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the possibility of manufacture of civil elements outside the Authority.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am informed by the Atomic Energy Authority that the three completed fuel canning lines at Springfields are fully employed; and that all five lines are expected to be in production by May, 1962. The factory will then be capable of meeting all demands now foreseen for magnox canned natural uranium fuel elements. It will be necessary in due course to plan new facilities for the fabrication of uranium oxide fuel elements, if it is decided to include power stations using such elements in the nuclear power programme. The planning of these facilities will not however be necessary before 1965 or 1966. Only preliminary discussions have therefore as yet been held with the Central Electricity Generating Board and the 139W consortia about the possibility of manufacture of these elements outside the Authority.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many people are employed by the Atomic Energy Authority on design studies and research in relation to the design of a prototype commercial fast reactor; how many were similarly employed a year ago; and when he expects full design and construction, respectively, of the prototype commercial reactor to begin.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am advised by the Atomic Energy Authority that the number of professional staff employed by them on design studies and research and development for the prototype fast reactor is 350 now, compared with 200 a year ago. The time at which full design and construction of a prototype commercial reactor could begin depends on the progress made on developing a suitable fuel.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will set out in tabular form the proportion of effort currently devoted by the Atomic Energy Authority to research and development in aid of the Magnox reactor, the advanced gas-cooled reactor, the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, the steam generated heavy water reactor, the fast reactor, marine reactors, and other reactor systems, respectively; and if he will give comparable figures for the proportion of effort employed a year ago.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am advised by the Atomic Energy Authority that of their total professional staff engaged on civil research and development, the proportions working on the main reactor systems in 1960 and 1961 are as follows:
— 1960 1961 Magnox reactors 20 15 Advanced gas-cooled reactors 20 20 Fast reactors 9 14 High temperature gas-cooled reactor 8 8 Exploratory work and design studies are being undertaken on the steam generating heavy water reactor and on marine reactors. In their general work on reactor technology, the Authority are 140W devoting some effort, including work on experimental physics, to keeping abreast of developments abroad on other reactor systems.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what work is at present being undertaken by the Atomic Energy Authority on the development of plutonium fuel elements for the fast reactor; to what extent work on plutonium technology has increased in the last year; to what extent development in this field has been held up by shortage of plutonium; and when he expects the Dounreay fast reactor to start operation with plutonium fuel elements.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am advised by the Atomic Energy Authority that they have in hand an intensive programme on the development of plutonium fuel elements for the prototype fast reactor. The fuels include mixed plutonium and uranium dioxides in a steel matrix and mixed plutonium and uranium carbides. This fuel development involves the preparation, irradiation testing and examination of specimen fuel materials, the investigation of methods of making complete fuel elements and their irradiation testing, and the investigation of the behaviour of the fuel elements under conditions simulating those expected to be experienced in a power reactor. The number of professional staff employed on fast reactor fuel development has approximately doubled since last year. The development of plutonium fuel elements in the fast reactor is not held up by shortage of plutonium. It is not currently planned to run the Dounreay fast reactor completely on plutonium fuel.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many engineers from the industrial consortia are attached, at the invitation of the Atomic Energy Authority, to experimental reactor projects; how many were so attached at the same time a year ago; and what other steps have been taken by the Authority to make the consortia aware of progress on such projects.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am advised by the Atomic Energy Authority that 10 engineers from the industrial consortia 141W are attached to experimental reactor projects compared with 26 a year ago. The reduction is due to the completion of certain work carried out by attached staff on the advanced gas cooled reactor.
The Authority maintain a close association with the industrial consortia through a Nuclear Power Collaboration Committee and its supporting technical committees, including a joint committee which advises on the design and development of the Authority's experimental reactor projects and on advanced reactor systems.
All the information derived by the Authority on reactors is available to the industrial consortia by means of the Authority's reports and the technology and progress are discussed jointly under arrangements made by the Nuclear Power Collaboration Committee.