By Alan Irving

Published at 16:03, Wednesday, 16 July 2008

ALL the plutonium protected under armed guard at Sellafield should be recycled to help secure Britain’s future energy supplies and power new nuclear reactors, says Copeland’s MP.

Jamie Reed wants the Government to class the 100-ton plutonium stockpile as an asset as part of “a nuclear renaissance”.

He also says the plutonium stored “safely and securely at Sellafield” could power three new reactors for years to come.

New figures show that the energy potential from the Sellafield stockpile is equivalent to more than 800 million barrels of oil.

“These figures show how by adding the skills we have at Sellafield we can both fight climate change and secure the UK’s energy supply – two of the biggest challenges we face,” Mr Reed said.

“The material stored at Sellafield is an asset to this country, and the people there have the skills to fully utilise that asset.”

For the first time, Sellafield this week has commented publicly about wanting new reactors on the site and more reprocessing. Director Steve Morgan, who heads up Sellafield Ltd’s commercial and contract dealings, said: “If we’re serious about this country’s future energy needs then we have a key role to play. It is the only place in Britain that can recycle used nuclear fuel and make new fuel.”

According to scientists the UK’s stockpile of uranium and plutonium, most of which is stored at Sellafield, could be reprocessed to power three 1,000 MW reactors for 60 years. The MP said: “This stock of plutonium could if reprocessed provide the energy equivalent of over 800 million barrels of oil. This is more than oil than the UK consumes in one year.”

The new findings will help spark the Energy Coast Masterplan which business secretary John Hutton will be launching at Sellafield next Wednesday.

Mr Morgan stressed that whether Sellafield got a new reactor or more reprocessing orders was a matter “for the government and the NDA to ponder.”

“What I can say is that West Cumbria has the nuclear know- how to play a pivotal role in the UK’s future energy generation. With the experience and resources available what we have is a national asset.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk