§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the effective energy recovery from uranium by using an advanced gas-cooled reactor, a pressure water reactor and a fast reactor, respectively.
§ Mr. EadieI am advised that the effective energy recovery per tonne of natural uranium is: AGR, 14,500 tonnes coal equivalent; PWR, 18,000 tonnes coal equivalent.
If used fuel is reprocessed and recycled through these systems, the energy extraction could be increased by about 50 per cent. If the used fuel is reprocessed and recycled through the fast reactor system, about 60 per cent. of the potential energy content of the uranium can be extracted—that is, about 2 million tonnes of coal equivalent per tonne of natural uranium.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the uranium charge of each magnox reactor and advanced gas-cooled reactor in use in the United Kingdom; and how much separately the amount of plutonium he estimates will be produced by each during the effective life of the stations.
§ Mr. EadieThe table below shows the tonnage of uranium which I am advised is required for a full charge for each of the nuclear power stations currently 219W operated by or under construction for the United Kingdom generating boards:
Station Tonnes U at Equilibrium Magnox (Natural uranium) Bradwell 470 Berkeley 460 Hinkley A 700 Trawsfynydd 590 Dungeness A 610 Sizewell 640 Oldbury 580 Wylfa 1,190 Hunterston A 500
AGR (approximate natural uranium equivalent of low enriched fuel elements) Dungeness B 960 Hinkley B 840 Harlepool 880 Heysham 880 Hunterston B 840 I am advised that at 31st March 1977 there were 7.5 tonnes of separated plutonium in stock arising from the reprocessing of fuel from Magnox stations operated by the home generating boards. The plutonium expected to be obtained from that date on present estimates of their operating lives amount to some 49 tonnes, as follows:
Station Tonnes Bradwell 2½ Berkeley 5½ Hinkley A 8½ Trawsfynydd 5 Dungeness A 5 Sizewell 6 Oldbury 5 Wylfa 9 Hunterston A 2½ 49