Dismantling Russian Subs Takes Time

Russia will take at least six years to finish dismantling its decommissioned nuclear submarines, some of which have languished dockside for as much as 15 years, a nuclear official said Tuesday.

The Russian Navy has decomissioned a total 189 nuclear submarines, but 126 are still waiting to be scrapped, said Viktor Akhunov, an Atomic Energy official in charge of the submarine dumping, according to the Interfax news agency.

Akhunov said 18 nuclear submarines have been dismantled this year — the same number as in 2000. Next year, the navy will unload spent nuclear fuel from 20 nuclear submarines and completely dismantle 17. Akhunov said it takes two years to completely dispose of a nuclear submarine, cutting its hull and removing its nuclear reactor.

"At this speed the Atomic Energy Ministry will complete the entire job of disposing of Russian nuclear submarines whose service life has expired in 2007," Akhunov said.

The wreck of the Kursk nuclear submarine will be among those to be dismantled next year, Akhunov said. The Kursk sank during naval maneuvers in August 2000, killing its entire 118-man crew, and was hoisted from the Barents Sea bottom last October.

Environmental groups have criticized the deteriorating condition of the mothballed nuclear submarines, most of which have stayed afloat with nuclear fuel aboard, raising the risk of a nuclear accident. Officials said they lacked funds to build dismantling and storage facilities.

In an incident highlighting possible dangers, a Russian vessel collecting spent nuclear fuel bumped into a mothballed Northern Fleet nuclear submarine in the Arctic Kola Bay. The collision earlier this month didn't cause any radiation leak or serious damage, according to officials.

Some European Union nations have offered to provide funds for dismantling the submarines, but the talks have stalled over Russia's refusal to accept full legal responsibility for all nuclear risks, offer tax breaks and give Western inspectors unlimited access to all dismantling sites.

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