Pebble-bed partner 'bad news'

2004-12-08 14:13

Cape Town - British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) is a "partner from hell" and should not be involved in the proposed pebble-bed modular reactor, says environmental lobby group Earthlife Africa.

"This bankrupt British company, wasting billions of British taxpayers' pounds, is not welcome in South Africa," said spokeseprson Mashile Phalane on Wednesday.

He said members of Earthlife's Johannesburg branch and of the Nuclear Energy Costs the Earth campaign would hand over a memorandum to the British consulate on Thursday containing their objections.

BNFL is a 22.5% partner with Eskom and the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation in the company formed to oversee the commercialising of the mini-nuclear reactor.

Eskom is currently seeking approval to build a demonstration model at Koeberg outside Cape Town.

'Technically bankrupt'

Phalane said BNFL, which operates in 15 countries, was technically bankrupt, with a debt of some R350bn, which would be carried by the British taxpayer.

He also said BNFL was "not very good" at making nuclear fuel. After eight years, the Mox fuel plant in Sellafield had not generated any income, and BNFL had had to buy Mox from Belgians to fulfil a contract.

In addition, BNFL was "dangerous".

The governments of Ireland and Norway officially complained in 2003 that BNFL at Sellafield was polluting their lobster, shellfish and salmon by discharging technetium-99 in the sea.

"What does this tell us about the pebble-bed project if this is the only kind of partner the PBMR can attract? The only other non-South African partner, Exelon, has left already. The full cost of this expensive experiment will be carried by South African and British taxpayers," said Phalane.

- SAPA