UK criticised over nuclear submarine disposal

The Ministry of Defence has been on the news for its failure to dispose 20 nuclear submarines. The National Audit Office report says that 9 of the 20 vessels still have nuclear fuel in it. It also added in its report that the Ministry of Defence has not taken any measures to dismantle the submarines since they were decommissioned in 1980. It is recorded that the Government expenses in storing the retired vessels was 500 million pounds. But the works are incomplete. The cost of a nuclear submarine disposal is 96 million pounds.

This has risked the reputation of UK as a responsible nuclear power. Currently US Defence Ministry has plans to spend 40 billion pounds on 4 new nuclear submarines. It would cost 7.5 billion pounds to dispose the 20 decommissioned nuclear submarines along with the 10 currently operating submarines

The stored vessels include HMS Revenge, HMS renown, HMS Repulse, HMS Resolution. The HMS Conqueror that sank the Argentine cruise during the Falklands war is also in the storage.