United Kingdom's declaration of civilian plutonium and HEU in 2009

The United Kingdom submitted its annual declaration of holdings of civilian plutonium and HEU that describes its stock as of December 31, 2009 - INFCIRC/549/Add.8/13.

According to the document, the U.K. had 107.7 tonnes of separated unirradiated plutonium at the reprocessing facilities, 2.1 tonnes in unirradiated MOX fuel and 1.3 tonnes in the MOX fuel manufacturing process. Additional 0.9 tonnes of unirradiated plutonium is "held elsewhere." Of this total of 112.1 tonnes, 27.7 tonnes belonged to foreign countries. In addition, the U.K. had 0.9 tonnes of its plutonium outside of country. No material was in transit. Compared to 2008, the amount of plutonium increased by 3 tonnes, all of it - separated plutonium at reprocessing plants.

[UPDATE: These numbers apparently include the 4.4 tonnes of plutonium that the United Kingdom declared as excess to its national security needs.]

In addition, the United Kingdom declared 8 tonnes of plutonium in spent fuel held at reactor sites, 26 tonnes - in spent fuel at reprocessing plants awaiting reprocessing, and less than 500 kg - in spent fuel held elsewhere.

The declaration also contains information about civilian HEU holdings - the United Kingdom had 1404 kg of the material, down from 1412 in 2008. Of this HEU, 346 kg is at fabrication plants, 916 kg - at laboratories and research facilities, 10 kg - irradiated HEU at civilian reactor cites, and 131 kg - irradiated HEU at other sites.