Last night’s tabling (Monday, 4 June 2001) of two significant sets of documents in a Senate Economics Legislation Committee Hearing by Professor Helen Garnett, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, further demonstrated the commitment of the organisation to accountability and transparency in all aspects of the replacement research reactor project to be built at Lucas Heights.
Professor Garnett advised the Senate of the finalisation of the detailed licence application for the construction of the replacement research reactor, which has been submitted to the independent regulator, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (ARPANSA).
The documentation, in two forms – a detailed 11 Volume submission prepared jointly by INVAP and ANSTO, and a summarised version as tabled in the Senate Committee by Professor Garnett – will be independently reviewed by both ARPANSA and nuclear safety experts assembled by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Public responses to the application will be sought by ARPANSA. In referring to ANSTO’s Application for a Facility Licence Construction Authorisation, Professor Helen Garnett stated that "the reactor facility will be designed and operated to meet Australia’s current and future needs for a neutron source in a manner that meets all applicable health, environmental and safety standards."
Professor Garnett also reaffirmed that appropriate arrangements were available with COGEMA for the reprocessing of spent fuel from the replacement research reactor.
An exchange of correspondence between ANSTO and COGEMA undertaken in August-September last year, referred to during the recent Senate Inquiry process, clarified the conditions for the reprocessing of amounts of spent silicide fuel.
In March a French court ordered COGEMA to provide Greenpeace France with an edited copy of the contract. This was done subject to undertakings as to its confidentiality. Following the recent report of the Senate Select Committee, which inquired into the Contract for the Replacement Research Reactor, ANSTO became aware that certain provisions of the contract had been made available to the Committee.
ANSTO has maintained constant liaison with COGEMA regarding the confidential status of the contract. ANSTO recently obtained COGEMA’s consent to release, to the Senate, the edited contract as provided to the French Court, as well as the exchange of correspondence pursuant to the contract relating to the processing of silicide fuel.
Professor Garnett indicated that in order to provide the facts on issues associated with the Replacement Reactor, including spent fuel handling arrangements, ANSTO has released the maximum amount of documentation at each stage of the project. This practice has continued throughout some 80 months of inquiries.