Mexico has one nuclear power plant with two reactors in operation,
providing approximately 5% of its energy. Its first reactor
began operating in 1989. There are no plans regarding new
units or new plants, as the initial costs for such projects
are much higher than those connected with plants for natural
gas. However, outside corporations including General Electric
have begun an analysis on the possibility of upgrades for
the exiting reactors, which could begin in 2009 or 2010.
The government supports expansion of nuclear energy, though
alternative sources of energy, such as geothermal. Solar and
wind energy have been heavily promoted for rural areas isolated
from the electrical grid.
Uranium Mines
There are no operating uranium mines in Mexico, nor any plans
for producing uranium. However, 2,000 tons of uranium reserves
have been found throughout the country, and uranium exploration
is being performed by various corporations.
2.
Fissile Material Holdings
Separated Civil Plutonium- 2.4 tons (end
2003)
Highly Enriched Uranium: 0.012 tons (end
of 2003)
Supplier- US
Radioactive waste disposal Low- and intermediate-level waste: An operational
repository managed by the National Nuclear Research Institute
(ININ) for all low- and intermediate-level wastes produced
in medical and industrial facilities, is expected to be closed
in the near future due to the population growth in the vicinity.
This repository will be replaced with a “triple barrier”
permanent one in the future. The Laguna Verde Plant operates
another interim low- and intermediate-level waste repository
to handle waste coming from the plant.
High-level waste: The high-level waste from the Laguna
Verde Plant is stored at the plant in the reactor's pools
until agreement on a permanent facility can be reached.
3.
Nuclear Activities
Research Centers
ININ: The National Institute of Nuclear Research
Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca
Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Mexico City
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados
Comision Federal de Electricidad, Mexico City
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Mexico City
Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardas, Mexico
City
Instituto Nacional de Ingestigaciones Nucleares, Escandon
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Salazar
Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant, Veracruz
Nuclear Cooperation Spain: Some training for the Laguna Verde plant was
held in Spain, though training is now done locally.
France: Mexico has a long-term contract with France
to convert concentrated hexafluoride to useable hexafluoride.
US: The main components of the Laguna Verde plant
were acquired abroad, mainly from the US. The US Department
of Energy provides all necessary enrichment processes for
the Mexican nuclear plant. Fuel fabrication is done by General
Electric. A variety of other corporations, including Siemens,
are involved in fuel assemblies at Laguna Verde.
Australia: Mexico and Australia signed a bilateral
agreement for cooperation in nuclear energy and the transfer
of nuclear material in February 1992.
Canada: There is a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
between the two countries since 1995, and reinstated in 2006.
Under the Agreement, the possibility exists for the exchange
of information, the transfer of nuclear material, equipment,
technology, and technical assistance training.
4.
International Non-proliferation Efforts
Treaties Signed and Ratified, date of deposit
APM Convention, 9 June 1998
Biological Weapons Convention, 8 April 1974
Certain Conventional Weapons Convention, 11 February 1982
Chemical Weapons Convention, 29 August 1994
Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, 5 October, 1999
Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, 4 April
1988
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 21 January 1969
Outer Space Treaty, 31 January 1969
Seabed Treaty, 23 March 1984
Treaty of Tlatelolco, 20 September 1967
Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, July
1989.
Mexico signed the IAEA Additional Protocol on 29 March 2004
but has not yet ratified.
Multilateral Groups
Conference on Disarmament
5.
Positions Taken in International Fora on Various Issues of
Nuclear Disarmament
Disarmament: “The peoples of the United Nations
are well aware of the fact that the breaches of peace and
security and our setbacks in our search for greater development
are a consequence of an insufficient international dialogue
and cooperation. We are also aware that the root-cause of
much of the setbacks -- such as those record in the field
of disarmament as well as those that take the form of aggression
against other people or against the environment— is
the lack of, or the lost of respect among nations. These are
times of great challenges. Our peoples today face challenges
such as those posed by longstanding international conflicts
that persist in tandem with the emergence of new threats to
international peace and security.” - Statement
by H.E. Mr. Vicente Fox, at the General Debate of the 61st
Session of the General Assembly, September 19, 2006. http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com06/disarmindex06.html#mexico
Fissile Materials: "My delegation is of the
view that the negotiation of a fissile material treaty would
be an important step forward towards our goal of achieving
the total elimination of nuclear weapons. However, in order
to meet this objective the instrument would need to have certain
characteristics. First of all it should have an effective
verification mechanism that would ensure compliance, and secondly,
it should cover existing stocks. We agree with the assessment
that the only achievement of an instrument that does not have
a verification mechanism would be to lay down a rule that
might or might not be respected. We consider that the aim
of the efforts called for by a multilateral negotiating exercise
should be a little more ambitious. Failing this, it would
be of only limited value." - Statement by Ambassador
Pablo Macedo to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, 19th
May, 2006. http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/cd/speeches06/index2.html
