§ Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Energy if it is the Government's intention to seek export orders for their fast breeder technology if Commercial Fast Reactor 1 were to be built; and if it were subsequently to be proved successful.
§ Mr. EadieThe Government are taking account of the possibility of exports in their review of policy on the fast reactor.
§ Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the total forecast costs of Commercial Fast Reactor 1 would fall under each of the following headings: (a) capital costs, (b) 746W fuel cycle costs, (c) security costs, and (d) uranium ore costs.
§ Mr. EadieThe United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority estimates that the capital costs of a full-scale demonstration fast reactor would contribute about 80 per cent. of the cost of the electricity which it generated; and operating costs, including fuel supply and processing, could contribute about 20 per cent. Expenditure on security measures would be incorporated in both capital and operating costs and would make only a minor contribution; many security features would anyway be required for other operational reasons. Uranium ore costs would be negligible since the fast reactor would use uranium very efficiently and its small requirements would be met from the large existing stocks discarded from thermal reactors. These figures take no account of the costs of supporting research and development and preconstruction design and project engineering.