Letter to Heads of State of the
Group of Eight Nations
From Non-governmental Organizations Opposing
Plutonium Fuel
May 30, 2003
Dear Prime Minister or President:
On behalf of the people of all nations who
want a future free of nuclear dangers, we urge
you to prevent the funding of nuclear programs
which use plutonium for reactor fuel. At the 2003
meeting of the Group of Eight (G-8) nations in
Evian, France, you have an opportunity to
prohibit financial support for this dangerous
plan. We understand that the current G-8 meeting
agenda includes a discussion of funding for the
Russian plutonium disposition program.
As you know, three years ago the United States
and the Russian Federation approved an agreement
for the disposition of 68 metric tons of surplus
military plutonium. The disposition of
weapons-grade plutonium in light water reactors
is promoted by the United States while Russia
favors the use of plutonium in breeder reactors.
However, neither US nor Russian light water
reactors were designed to use plutonium fuel,
also called MOX or mixed oxide fuel. Last year
leaders of the Group of Eight nations agreed to
spend up to $20 billion over the next 10 years to
assist nations to dismantle their stockpiles of
weapons of mass destruction. While we support the
larger goal of putting plutonium into a form
which is not usable for weapons, we believe that
the method which both countries have agreed upon
to achieve it is wrong. It is wrong for
environmental, economic, non-proliferation,
political, and safety reasons.
In Russia the use of plutonium raises numerous
safety concerns which will be heightened by the
lack of effective regulation. Russian light water
reactors, called VVER-1000, have experienced many
safety problems which have not been acknowledged
or analyzed publicly by Minatom. Further, the
Russian BN-600 breeder reactor, which would also
be used in the program, has also experienced
safety problems. By subsidizing a plutonium fuel
infrastructure in Russia, you would be
encouraging Minatom’s plans to build more
nuclear reactors, including breeder reactors
which are not the most economic way to generate
electricity. And G-8 funding the Russian plan
will provide impetus for the United States to
proceed because the two nations’ programs
are linked.
In the United States the Department of Energy
has selected four nuclear reactors which have
only half the strength of other types of
pressurized water reactor (PWR) containment
structures. These commercial power plants,
operated by Duke Power (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission Facility Operating License Nos.
NPF-35, NPF-52, NPF-9, and NPF-17 ), are among
the few reactors worldwide which use the
“ice condenser” system— baskets of
ice— to
reduce heat and pressure in the event of an
accident inside the containment building.
According to the NRC, “Ice condenser plants
are at least two orders of magnitude more
vulnerable to early containment failure than
other types of PWRs.” (NUREG/CR-6427, April
2000) Experts estimate that a severe accident at
a plutonium mixed oxide fueled reactor would
result in 25% more cancer deaths.
We are not convinced by statements that the
facilities which will participate in this program
serve only disarmament and non-proliferation
goals. In fact, some of the facilities can also
be used for military purposes. For example,
chemical processing facilities outlined in the
agreement can also be used to make new plutonium
pits for new nuclear weapons. The circulation of
plutonium fuel in the commercial sector would
increase the risk of diversion. Encouraging a
plutonium economy in Russia and the United States
undermines non-proliferation.
The action you take will have profound impacts
on the environment, on nuclear non-proliferation
and disarmament, and on energy policy for many
decades. Before making a decision, we request
that you conduct a thorough investigation into
the entire matter. As this decision will have
far-reaching effects on the nations of the world,
this investigation should include public hearings
and other types of public input.
Thank you for your attention to our request.
We look forward to your response.
Respectfully,
Signed by leaders of 19 non governmental
organizations:
Signators
Great Britain
Martin Forwood and Janine
Allis-Smith
Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment
Email: info@corecumbria.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1229 833851
Fax: +44 (0)1229 812239
98 Church Street
Barrow in Furness
Cumbria, LA14 2HT, United Kingdom
Russian Federation
Alexandra Koroleva, director
for Baltic Resource and Information Service
e-mail: ecosasha@rol.ru
PO Box 1477, 236000 Kaliningrad, Russia
Vladimir Mikheev
Citizens' Center on Nuclear Non-Proliferation
E-mail: ccnnp@online.ru
Phone: 7 (3912) 653-353
Fax: 7 (3912) 653-353 http://www.NuclearNo.com
Lenin St, 41, office 1.
Krasnoyarsk, 660049, Russia
Alexey Milovanov, editor for WISE/NIRS
Kaliningrad
e-mail: lech@ecodefense.ru
PO Box 1477, 236000 Kaliningrad, Russia
Alisa Nikulina, coordinator for
Socio-Ecological Union Int'l
e-mail: alni@online.ru
phone +7(095)7766546
PO Box 211, 121019 Moscow, Russia
Vladimir Slivyak, co-chairman for
Ecodefense
e-mail: ecodefense@online.ru
phone/fax +7(095)2784642, 7766281
http://www.antiatom.ru
Nizhegorodskaya 70-2-5
109052 Moscow, Russia
Alexey Yablokov, PresidentCenter for
Russian Environmental Policy
yablokov@voxnet.ru
Moscow, Russia
United States of America
Sara Barczak, Safe Energy Director
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
3025 Bull Street, Suite 101
Savannah, Georgia 31405, USA
www.cleanenergy.org
Brett Bursey
South Carolina Progressive Network
email: network@scpronet.com
Phone: +1-803-808-3384
Fax +1-803-808-3781
web site: www.scpronet.com
PO Box 8325 Columbia South Carolina 29202, USA
George Crocker
North American Water Office
Phone: +1-651-770-3861
P.O. Box 174; Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042, USA
Kay Drey 515 West Point Ave.
University City. Missouri 63130, USA
Deb Katz, Executive Director
Citizens Awareness Network
e-mail: can@nukebusters.org
Phone: +1-413-339-5781
http://www.nukebusters.org
PO Box 83 Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts 01370,
USA
Constance Kolpitkee-mail: ckolpitke@yahoo.com
21024 Pine Street
Cornelius, North Carolina 28031, USA
Amanda Martin, Director
Carolina Peace Resource Center
335 S. Woodrow St.
Columbia, South Carolina 29205, USA
Mary Olson, Director Southeast Office
Nuclear Information & Resource Service
e-mail: nirs.se@mindspring.com
Phone: +1-828-675-1792
http://www.nirs.org
P.O. Box 7586 Asheville, North Carolina 28802 USA
E.M.T. O'Nan, Director
Protect All Children's Environment
Email: pace@mcdowell.main.nc.us
Phone: (828) 724 4221
Fax: (828) 724 4177
Website: http://www.main.nc.us/pace
396 Sugar Cove Road
Marion, North Carolina 28752, USA
Lewis E. Patrie, M.D., M.P.H.
Western North Carolina Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Affiliate of International Physicians for the
Prevention of Nuclear War
99 Eastmoor Drive
Asheville, North Carolina 28805 USA
Kalynda Tilges, Executive Director
Shundahai Network
e-mail: kalynda@shundahai.org
Phone: +01-702-369-2730
Fax: 702.369.5717
http://www.Shundahai.org
1350 E. Flamingo Box 255
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 , USA
Janet Marsh Zeller, Executive Director
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
e-mail: BREDL@skybest.com
Phone: +1-336-982-2691
Website: http://www.BREDL.org
PO Box 88, Glendale Springs, North Carolina
28629, USA
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