Originally Posted by
ORAC
There have been long discussions with the IAEA over how such a deal might be done under the terms of the NPT. The resolution was that Australia will not undertake any nuclear fuel fabrication or reprocessing, rather the reactors will be provided as sealed units an£ returned in the same state at the end of their operational life.
Which means that, if manufactured in the UK, the reactors will be returned to the UK for defuelling, storage and eventual dismantling - presumably by sending the boats to be moored alongside together with the 27 all ready awaiting disposal.
So, no, Australia won’t be involved in handing HEU fuel rods.
Guessing, I would think, to keep with the NPT, the terms of the contract will involved the reactor cores being leased to Australia for the life of the boat, rather than sold, and then returned.
https://www.navylookout.com/project-...nches-forward/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/submarin...ntling-project
https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pres...s-announcement
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/f...inf2022-20.pdf
““it is proposed that Australia would be provided with complete, welded power units.”
Well that's interesting, because there was definitely commentary down here about the need to dispose of `nuclear waste' as part of AUKUS and that said waste would be dealt with remotely - possibly on the Defence Estate.
So if HEU rods will be returned to the UK - what other waste is there to dispose of?