UK And Norway To Dismantle Russian Nuclear Submarine
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The UK and Norway will join forces once again under the Global Threat Reduction Programme to ensure another aging Russian nuclear submarine is successfully dismantled, Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks announced today.
The UK and Norway will share the GBP3.9 million cost to dismantle the decommissioned November Class submarine No291, which will be de-fuelled and then towed to Nerpa Shipyard for dismantling. Once dismantled to a single compartment unit (containing the de-fuelled reactor) the submarine will be transferred to Saida Bay for land-based interim storage. Project management and technical advice for the UK Government will be provided by NUKEM Ltd.
Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks said:
“The nuclear legacy of the former Soviet Union still presents a serious risk. A nuclear accident in Russia or a terrorist incident using radioactive material in a dirty bomb would have global implications.
“International cooperation is vital to ensure these threats are addressed within an acceptable timescale and it is in our interest to help Russia dispose of its nuclear legacy and ensure risks are managed to a standard expected in the UK and Norway.”
Through the Global Threat Reduction Programme, the UK has successfully dismantled three nuclear powered submarines: two Oscars (Zvezdochka Shipyard) and a Victor (Nerpa Shipyward) including documentation and infrastructure work at both shipyards.
This is the fourth submarine dismantling project the UK has undertaken.
Notes to Editors:
1. The contract signing ceremony between the UK and Norway will take place at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in London on Monday 25 February at 11.30am.
2. The Global Threat Reduction Programme includes the UK contribution to the Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction Programme, a $20b ten year programme agreed at the G8 Summit at Kananaskis, Canada in 2002 to address the nuclear, chemical and biological legacies of the Former Soviet Union, initially Russia.
3. The UK Global Threat Reduction Programme 2007 annual report was published last week and is available online at http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/non-proliferation/global-threat-reductio [http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/non-proliferation/global-threat-reductio] n/ar-english/page40802.html
4. The Government also recently announced a new collaboration between the UK and US to enable the UK to further widen the geographical scope of efforts to address nuclear and radiological security and proliferation threats.
5. Significant progress by the UK for the year in relation to the Global Threat Reduction Programme included management of the stockpiles of spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned submarines in NW Russia, further progress on construction of a key chemical weapons destruction facility, redirection of former WMD scientists and the implementation of a programme on enhancements to security of nuclear materials.
6. BERR is responsible for implementing the nuclear elements of the UK Government’s Global Threat Reduction Programme.
7. The Global Threat Reduction Programme is aimed at the non-proliferation of weapons or materials of mass destruction through the establishment of cooperative threat reduction projects with key partner nations.
8. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform helps UK business succeed in an increasingly competitive world. It promotes business growth and a strong enterprise economy, leads the better regulation agenda and champions free and fair markets. It is the shareholder in a number of Government-owned assets and it works to secure, clean and competitively priced energy supplies
Filed by Anita Li under Arms Control, Proliferation and WMD