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5 September 2011 BN-350 Dry Run of Spent Nuclear Fuel Transport Related: http://cryptome.org/eyeball/bn-350/bn-350.htm Cryptome Nuclear Power Plants and WMD Series: http://cryptome.org/nppw-series.htm
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DE RUEHTA #2105/01 3361001
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 021001Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6939
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 2208
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1572
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2273
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1207
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1767
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 1617
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/CDR USTRANSCOM SCOTT AFB IL
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 002105
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/RUS
NSC FOR JOYCE CONNERY
ENERGY FOR NNSA/GTRI
E.O. 12958: 12/02/2029
TAGS: PGOV PREL KNNP MNUC RS KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION APPROVES BN-350
SPENT FUEL SHIPMENTS TO BEGIN BY EARLY JANUARY
REFTELS: A. ASTANA 02070
B. STATE 120133
C. ASTANA 02000
D. ASTANA 02007
E. 08 ASTANA 02316
F. ASTANA 01541
G. ASTANA 01886
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Pamela L. Spratlen, 1.4 (b),
(d)
1. (S) SUMMARY: On November 30, Kazakhstan's Minister of Transport
and Communications, Abelgazi Kusainov, opened a meeting with Post's
Department of Energy (DOE) representatives, at which Kazakhstani
officials approved beginning the BN-350 dry run on December 1 and
actual "hot runs" no later than early January. The train departed
Kurchatov on December 1 for the round-trip dry run. It is expected
to depart Aktau on December 8, carrying an empty cask after
completion of loading procedures. Vice Minister of Energy and
Mineral Resources, Aset Magauov, affirmed that even if hot runs begin
in January, the Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning has
sufficient funds for this priority project. Post believes the start
of the dry run is a positive step towards conclusion of the spent
fuel transportation project and looks forward to using the momentum
from solving this decade-long project to further other bilateral
non-proliferation-related programs. END SUMMARY.
NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY AGREES TO START DRY RUN DECEMBER 1
2. (S) On November 19, KTZh agreed to begin the dry run on December
1, but asserted that it would only allow actual BN-350 spent fuel
shipments, if the Railcar Commission certified the specialized
railcars during its biannual senior representatives meeting in Riga,
scheduled for January 20 (ref A). On November 25, the CIS Railcar
Commission agreed to the request by representatives of Kazakhstan's
Temir Zholy (KTZh) national railway company that the non-standard
railcars be included in the Commission's catalog. In response to
Post's request for a meeting, on November 26, the Minister of
Transport requested a meeting with Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources (MEMR) representatives to discuss the BN-350 spent fuel
transportation project. Immediately following the meeting, MEMR
representatives reported to the U.S. DOE representative that Kusainov
decided waiting until the Riga meeting would be an unnecessary delay
(ref B). KTZh's Kanat Almagambetov conceded that he was ordered to
pursue hot runs immediately following the dry run, even without
completing the railcar registration process.
3. (S) Post believes the November 25 Railcar Commission decision is a
positive step towards conclusion of the spent fuel transportation
project, because registration of the specialized fuel-transport
railcars will provide KTZh with a modicum of cover in case of an
accident. (COMMENT: An American citizen employee of KTZh told
EconOff that liability issues are of particular concern to KTZh
employees, because the company's two previous Presidents were
dismissed in connection with corruption scandals. This environment
explains KTZh's seemingly excessive concern about the minor details
of transport operations under its supervision, despite the fact that
MEMR, and its subordinate nuclear-related organizations, would also
have responsibility and liability for the transport.
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT ORDERS RAILWAY COMPANY TO PERMIT HOT RUNS
4. (S) On November 30, by formally announcing his approval to begin
hot runs as soon as possible after completion of the dry run,
Minister of Transport Kusainov joined his counterparts among
Kazakhstan's senior officials -- National Security Council Secretary
Marat Tazhin and Minister of Energy Sauat Mynbayev -- in announcing
his support for quick forward movement on the BN-350 spent fuel
transportation project (Refs C-D). Although Kusainov ordered KTZh to
allow the railcars to be used based on the Railcar Commission's
November 25 decision, pending a successful dry run, the National
ASTANA 00002105 002 OF 002
Nuclear Center must provide a letter of guarantee and purchase
special insurance, in order to relieve KTZh of liability.
CHRONOLOGY OF POSSIBLE TRANSPORT OPERATIONS
5. (S) During the November 30 meeting, Ministry of Interior
representatives confirmed their organization's internal troops are
already pre-staged for the dry run. If the dry run, which began on
December 1, takes the maximum possible scheduled time of 19 days, it
will be completed on December 20. The relevant Kazakhstani
ministries have 15 days to complete various assessments of the dry
run. Therefore, hot runs could begin on January 5. (NOTE: January
7 (Orthodox Christmas) is a nationally-observed holiday in
Kazakhstan, which may also affect start dates. END NOTE.) Even with
the expected start date of early January, it is still technically
possible, if no other delays occur, to complete transport operations
by the beginning of December 2010.
KAZAKHSTAN EAGER FOR SUCCESSFUL HOT RUNS BEFORE APRIL SUMMIT
6. (S) Kazakhstani government representatives, including KTZh
officials, are fully aware that if a compressed schedule for 12 hot
runs is not approved and initiated by the beginning of the year, or
if any additional delays occur, the bilateral effort will not meet
its scheduled completion date. It will be clear by March, just prior
to Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev's April trip to the
United States to attend the Global Nuclear Security Summit, if the
project is likely to be completed on-schedule. (COMMENT: President
Nazarbayev, who believes his international prestige is closely linked
to his record on non-proliferation, is eager to meet with President
Obama. Post believes Kazakhstani officials are very anxious to
complete several hot runs, in order to be able to report positive
results prior to Nazarbayev's visit. END COMMENT.)
NEXT STEPS -- AFTER THE SPENT FUEL TRANSPORT IS COMPLETE
7. (S) The BN-350 project, which involves transportation of nuclear
fuel over almost 4000 kilometers of rail and road, is one of the most
technically-ambitious spent fuel transport operations ever attempted.
EmbOffs have observed the close relationships that Kazakhstani and
U.S. scientists have built over their decade-long collaboration. The
teams developed confidence through solving unique technical
challenges, such as cask design, together. Post looks forward to
applying the momentum that will hopefully be generated from
successful completion of this decade-long project to resolve other
non-proliferation tasks, such as specifically negotiating and moving
the BN-350 spent fuel into permanent storage, completing the reactor
conversion project at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, and urging
the government of Kazakhstan to fund and complete the geo-cement
stone facility, located on the territory of the decommissioned BN-350
reactor (Refs E-G).
SPRATLEN
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