§ Mr. Strangasked the Secretary of State for Energy how much plutonium of what isotopic composition has been used each year as fuel for the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay; and how much plutonium of what isotopic composition has been produced each year by the same reactor.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe prototype fast reactor is not yet working at its full design capacity, which would call for the provision of fuel of some 1 tonne a year of plutonium in combination with some 3 to 4 tonnes of uranium. As an experimental reactor, it is not, and never will be, a net producer of plutonium. None of the plutonium fuel for the prototype fast reactor or extracted from it by reprocessing contains less than 15 per cent. of the plutonium 240 isotope. None of the fuel in the breeder zone has been processed.