ISSUE 1606 Monday 18 October 1999

Rolls-Royce denies flaws in nuclear plant safety By Hugh Davies

ROLLS-ROYCE insisted yesterday that its secret nuclear fuel plant a mile from the centre of Derby was safe after staff leaked classified documents highlighting flaws in procedures relating to the processing of radio-active material.

A government-monitored exercise six months ago uncovered what inspectors called inadequate "contamination control arrangements" in the event of a uranium accident.

While the same inspectors are now satisfied, after three practice runs, that procedures have been corrected, there is still concern that no public emergency plan is in place in case of a disaster.

Workers started passing documents to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament after Japan's worst nuclear accident last month. At least 69 people at the Tokaimura plant were exposed to radiation and more than 3,000 living nearby were told to stay indoors.

The Rolls-Royce plant - near two housing estates and half a mile from the new Derby County football ground - has long been the subject of local speculation. However, precise details of its function have been withheld under official secrecy rules. The firm confined itself to saying the factory made engines for Trident nuclear submarines.

It now emerges that highly enriched uranium has been processed for the Ministry of Defence for more than 25 of the Royal Navy's submarines. The plant is also supplying the new generation of nuclear reactors for the Astute class of "hunter-killer" submarines.

The leaked Derby documents, which started appearing on the internet last night, indicated that the uranium was far more volatile than that at Tokaimura. Most nuclear plants in Britain use fuel containing about three per cent uranium 235; in the Japan disaster it was about 20 per cent, while in Derby the fuel reportedly contains more than 90 per cent.

William Peden, of CND, said: "The workers who contacted us were extremely worried about a similar thing happening in Derby. It is amazing there is no off-site plan to deal with an emergency."

Rolls-Royce acknowledged that the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate had found flaws in the plant after an inspection in March. Changes in procedures had been made immediately, and practised three times.

A spokesman said: "Within two days of the Japanese incident, the NII visited the plant, inspected it and agreed the facility was in order." The last inspection was just a few days ago "after which the NII said it had full confidence in our safety procedures". The spokesman said a local liaison committee had been put in place this year and had met in June.

Geoff Hoon, Defence Secretary and a Derbyshire MP, said there was no reason to close the plant. The situation had been "thoroughly investigated" by NII which had "given the plant an entirely clean bill of health".

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive confirmed there had been safety concerns at the plant, but would not elaborate. Officials were now satisfied with safety controls.

Dave Knight, chairman of CND, said: "Urgent answers are needed to some very serious questions. This plant should be immediately closed down."

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), October 17, 1999

Answers

Happy-face doctrine has crossed the Atlantic.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), October 17, 1999.

Drat!

So even if I go back to blighty before rollover I will be radioactive glowing technicolour toast...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), October 17, 1999.