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BNFL nuclear contracts, Cold War, corruption, cumbria, dangers of nuclear, democracy, environment, France, Germany, hex, Italy, nuclear enrichment contracts Soviet Union, nuclear industry, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, Russia, Soviet Union, Springfields, Sweden, Techsnabexport, trading with the enemy, UK, uranium enrichment, uranium enrichment services, USA, USSR
Enrichment was by gaseous diffusion in the US. The USSR used the Nazi Zippe centrifuge process.
“British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) was a nuclear energy and fuels company owned by the UK Government.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Nuclear_Fuels_Ltd
BNFL and most, or all, of the European entities doing business with the Soviet Union during the Cold War were government owned!
Techsnabexport was Soviet owned (and now Russian owned): “1971 JSC Techsnabexport signed the first contract for the supply of uranium enrichment services with the Atomic Energy Commission of France. In 1973 the first shipment of uranium products was delivered to France followed by uranium enrichment services for Italy, Germany, Sweden and other European countries. In 1987 the first shipment of uranium enrichment services is delivered to the USA.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techsnabexport
“BNFL’s conversion contracts produce a steady output of unenriched hex from Springfields. While the United States is a well established destination for BNFL’s hex, most of Springfields’ output is now delivered to Urenco and the Soviet Union. Shipments to the USSR, for example, include uranium owned by the British generating companies who since 1975 have held enrichment contracts with Techsnabexport...” Excerpted from “Nuclear Juggernaut: The Transport of Radioactive Materials“, by Martin Bond, 1992. Additional text may be read online at Google books. The book itself may be purchased from Routledge Press.
The UK’s nuclear regulator ONR refuses to answer FOIA request (emphasis added). Is the cost so burdensome because they did so much business with the Soviet Union?
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