COMMENT ON THE POSSIBLE SOVIET SALE OF A NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR TO CUBA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000500080018-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2005
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: October 11, 1974
• Content Type: MEMO

Apprc
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950 .
SUBJECT: Comment on the Possible Soviet Sale of a
Nuclear Power Reactor to Cuba
1. We have no direct information that would corrob-
orate the Soviet plan to sell a nuclear reactor to Cuba.
We have learned, however, that Minister Neporozhniy is
going on to Mexico City, a logical route to Cuba. The
members of the Soviet delegation who were with him are
returning to Moscow.
2. The Cuban Academy of Sciences has had a small
but active nuclear training and investigative group for
some years and as recently as August, 1974, the Cubans
were noted engaged in an economic feasibility study
concerning nuclear power generation. The Cubans do not
have an experimental or research reactor.
3. Should the Soviets sell a nuclear power reactor
to Cuba, it would probably be a 440 megawatt pressurized
water reactor of the type that they have built in Eastern
Europe. We judge the Soviet record on safeguards as good.
They do not have, however, a good record as far as invest-
ing in safety features is concerned. In the past, they
have not installed their reactors in safety vessels but
there are indications that they are now actively working
on such vessels.
4. The 440 megawatt reactor uses slightly enriched
fuel which is. not suitable for military purposes. The
depleted fuel rods i?;ould have to be returned to the USSR
for reprocessing. The plutonium produced by the reactor
is recoverable only during fuel reprocessing. The Cubans
would not be able to master reprocessing technology on
their own for many years and the USSR could be expected
to prohibit them from doing so under a private arrangement
}ven though Cuba. has not signed the NIT.
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SUBJECT: Comment on the Possible Soviet Sale of a Nuclear
Power Reactor to Cuba
O/D/DCI/NIOI'GACarver:mee
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Remarks c
Attached is a brief commenton the matte
of a possible Soviet sale of a nuclear
power reactor to Cuba. We will look into
this further and inform you promptly if any
information is unearthed. Also,
George A. Carver, Jr.
D/DCI/NI0
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