Stichting Laka

Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Superphenix. Ashes to Ashes. Problems and prospects fast breeders (1984)

Auteur	W.Patterson, Amici della Terra
Datum	april 1984
Classificatie	2.02.8.20/09 (FRANKRIJK - SUPERPHENIX + KWEEKPROGRAMMA Alg.)
Opmerking	Available for download at www.waltpatterson.org
Voorkant

Introduction

The mythical Phoenix was believed to rise again reborn from the ashes of its own funeral pyre. The
myth of the Super-Phenix is equally improbable - and much more alarming. The Super-Phenix is a
nuclear power station that can - in a manner of speaking - create fresh fuel from fuel it has already
burned: hence the evocative metaphor of its name. The Super-Phenix can also, however, produce
the essential material for the most modern nuclear weapons. Although it is an international facility,
and officially "civil" in nature, France is intending to use it to produce high-grade plutonium for
nuclear weapons. The nuclear "ashes" associated with the Super-Phenix may thus in due course be
far from metaphorical.

The diplomatic implications alone raise questions about Super-Phenix, and the type of nuclear plant
it represents, that are long overdue for public discussion. Nor are the diplomatic questions the only
ones requiring answers. Others include:

- the dubious technical status of this type of plant, and of its accompanying fuel-supply and
waste-management technologies;

- its economic potential - or rather its lack thereof;

- and the concomitant, continuiing financial burden on taxpayers and ratepayers;

- its distorting effect on the energy policies of the countries involved;

- the safety hazards it presents - which will be aggravated by attempts to reduce its cost; and

- its drastic consequences for worldwide efforts to control the spread of nuclear weapons.

The Super-Phenix was to have been the first of a new generation of nuclear power plants, using a
type of reactor called a "fast breeder". It is due to start up in 1984. But five of the participating
countries - Belgium, France, Federal Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom - acknowledged at the
beginning of this year that earlier long-term plans for fast breeders had to be dramatically revised.
On 10 January 1984 they signed an agreement to set up a cooperative international programme of
fast-breeder development. True to form in nuclear matters, the agreement was drafted and signed
with no reference to elected representatives or their electors in the countries concerned.

It is therefore time - indeed long past time - that the fast breeder was called to the bar of public
opinion. Too many worrying questions have been left unanswered for far too long. Before the
Super-Phenix starts up, or any multinational fast breeder programme is launched, the questions
must be asked, and answers demanded. This dossier is an attempt to define the questions. The
answers must come from governments, and from those behind the scenes who shape official nuclear
policy.

Deze publicatie is alleen op papier bij Laka beschikbaar, niet als pdf.
Publicaties zijn te leen of informeer of we een kopie kunnen maken. Soms, als we tijd hebben, lukt dat tegen kostprijs van de kopieën.