Russia's civilian plutonium in 2009

Russia submitted its annual declaration that contains data on its holdings of civilian plutonium - INFCIRC/549/Add.8/13. According to the declaration, as of the end of 2009 Russia had 47.7 tonnes of unirradiated separated plutonium, 1.1 tonnes more than in 2008.

Of this amount, 43.6 tonnes is stored at the reprocessing plant, 300 kg is in unirradiated MOX fuel held at reactor sites and elsewhere, and 1,100 kg is "held elsewhere". Of the total amount of 47.7 tonnes, 0.3 kg of plutonium belongs to "foreign bodies". Also, Russia owns 0.6 kg of plutonium that is "held in locations in other countries". This amount is not included into the total. Transfer of these 600 g of material apparently took place in 2009 - no material was listed in this category last year.

In addition, Russia has 71 tonnes of plutonium in spent fuel that is stored at reactor sites, 4 tonnes - in spent fuel that is awaiting reprocessing at the reprocessing plant, and 47 tonnes - in spent fuel "held elsewhere". As of end of 2008, these numbers were 68 tonnes, 3 tonnes, and 45 tonnes respectively. Overall, Russia had 122 tonnes of plutonium still in spent fuel as of December 31, 2009, up 7 tonnes from December 2008.

These numbers do not include an estimated 18 tonnes of weapon-grade plutonium produced during 1994-2010, which is being stored at Seversk and Zheleznogorsk.