|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
Russia: Uranium Enrichment
The Soviet Union used or experimented with all principal
uranium enrichment technologies, including gaseous diffusion, centrifuges,
laser isotope separation, and calutrons.[1] Initially it relied on gaseous
diffusion technology for the production of weapons-grade uranium, but subsequently
shifted to gas centrifuge technology, and in 1997 Russia began installation
of a new generation of centrifuge machines.[4] Although the Soviet Union stopped
production of highly enriched uranium for
weapons by
1989, 10 gas centrifuge plants may
still be in operation at four sites in Russia: the Electrolytic
Chemical Combine in Angarsk, the Electrochemical
Plant (EKhZ) in Zelenogorsk (Krasnoyarsk-45), the Ural Electrochemical
Combine (UEKhK) in Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk-44), and the Siberian
Chemical Combine (SKhK) in Seversk (Tomsk-7).[2] These
facilities, with the exception of the Angarsk Combine, were involved in the
production of weapons-grade HEU during the Soviet period.[5] As of May 2001, these three facilities are involved in
down-blending HEU to low enriched uranium (LEU) under the US-Russian
HEU Deal, uranium enrichment for nuclear
fuel, and research and production activities involving uranium in different
isotopic forms. Exact numbers
for Russia’s weapons-grade HEU stockpile are unknown due to its classified
nature. However, it is estimated that overall Soviet/Russian
production of HEU totaled at
least 1,200 metric tons (t).[6] The overall annual enrichment
capacity in Russia is estimated at 20 million SWU.[4] Actual Russian production
was estimated at 10 million SWU during 1993.[3] However, by 1997 it had grown
to 19 million SWU/yr due to Russia's involvement in the implementation of the
US-Russian
HEU Deal.[4] ARCHIVED URANIUM ENRICHMENT DEVELOPMENTS: This section is no longer being updated. For major recent developments, see the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Developments file. 12/15/2002: CONFLICT OVER CENTRIFUGE MANUFACTURER OWNERSHIPAt the 15 December 2002 meeting of V. A. Degtyarev Plant shareholders organized by the MDM ["Mezhregionalnyy Delovoy Mir"] financial industrial group, Valeriy Larin, former director of the Siberian Chemical Combine, was elected as the new director of the plant.[1] V. A. Degtyarev Plant manufactures centrifuges for uranium enrichment as well as modern small arms, cannons, and antiaircraft weapon systems.[2] Aleksandr Tmenov, the current plant director, wrote to Russian Minister of Industry, Science and Technology Ilya Klebanov urging him to prevent what he described as an "illegal attempt to take over the enterprise."[2] Tmenov claims that the MDM group illegally purchased a controlling share of the plant's stock and that it plans to "divide the plant into four parts, reap the first two years' profits and then sell the plant."[1] Sources: [1] "Konflikt mezhdu OAO 'Zavod imeni V. A. Degtyareva' i AKB 'MDM-Bank' poluchil neozhidannoye prodolzheniye," Nuclear.ru Web Site, http://www.nuclear.ru/, 18 December 2002. [2] "Rukovoditeli Zavoda imeni Degtyareva prosyat federalnogo ministra ne dopustit nezakonnogo zakhvata predpriyatiya," Polit.ru, 19 December 2002; in Integrum Techno, http://www.integrum.com/. {Entered 12/21/2002 DA} 6/2000: MINATOM DEVELOPS PROGRAM FOR UPGRADING URANIUM ENRICHMENT ENTERPRISES Minatom's Nuclear-Fuel Cycle Department adopted a draft modernization program for the uranium enrichment industry through 2010, according to Vladimir Shidlovskiy, head of the department. The draft program specifies the scope, schedule, and cost of the upgrades at the Urals Electrochemical Combine (UEKhK), the Electrochemical Plant (EKhZ), the Siberian Chemical Combine (SKhK), and the Angarsk Electrolytic Chemical Combine (AEKhK). These enterprises are expected to fund modernization programs from their own revenues. Upgrades will include the installation of seventh-generation centrifuges manufactured by the Tochmash Machine-Building Plant, located in Vladimir, and the V. A. Degtyarev Plant, located in Kovrov, Vladimir Oblast. Meanwhile, design bureaus at UEKhK and EKhZ and the special design bureau OKB GAZ are engaged in intensive R&D of advanced centrifuges, including the eighth-generation centrifuge, the last in a series of sub-critical centrifuges. Eighth-generation centrifuges are intended to replace centrifuges of the fifth generation. R&D activities will also focus on the first supercritical centrifuge with a rotor that spins at a higher frequency. [Vladimir Shidlovskiy, "O perspektivakh i planakh modernizatsii razdelitelnykh proizvodstv," Atompressa, No. 36, September 2000.] {Entered 9/18/2002 DA} 9/97: RUSSIA IS USING 95 PERCENT OF ITS 20-MILLION SWU/YR CAPACITY Russia is using about 95 percent of its annual enrichment capacity of 20 million SWU, said Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Viktor Mikhailov in early September 1997 at the Uranium Institute's annual conference in London. Some of the enrichment capacity is being used for the enrichment of uranium tails in order to obtain low-enriched uranium used in downblending highly enriched uranium (HEU) under the US-Russian HEU Deal. Mikhailov also said Russia was installing a new generation of centrifuge machines. [Michael Knapik,"Mikhailov Still Likes Atoll Project For Storing Leased Fuel On Pacific Island," Nuclear Fuel, 9/22/97, p.15.] {Entered 5/20/99 VT} 8/28/96: RUSSIA, MONGOLIA ESTABLISH JOINT URANIUM COMPANY Russia and Mongolia established Tulasianuran-Uranium-Central-Asia, a joint uranium mining, processing and enrichment company. Uranium extracted at Martay deposit in Mongolia will be supplied to Russia for enrichment. ["Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar To Supply Russia With Uranium," Ulaanbaatar Radio, 8/28/96; in FBIS-EAS-96-169, 8/28/96.] {Entered 10/24/96 KVY} 9/11/95: MIKHAILOV SAYS RUSSIA USES ONLY 50% OF ITS ANNUAL ENRICHMENT CAPACITY OF 20 MILLION SWU Minister of Atomic Energy Viktor Mikhailov reportedly stated that Russia no longer operates gaseous diffusion enrichment facilities, and that all such plants have been dismantled and decommissioned. He said that Russia plans to rely on centrifuge technology for its future uranium enrichment needs. Mikhailov stated that Russia's current yearly enrichment capacity is 20 million SWU, adding that "Today, we use only 50% of that capacity for domestic (sic) and export." Page last updated 31 July 2003 
HOME | CONTACT US | SITE MAP |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Fissile Material Production and Disposition
