Dounreay Team To Make Safe The Most Hazardous Materials
8th March 2018
Work has started to make safe one of the most hazardous materials left at Dounreay.
Highly radioactive liquid, known as raffinate, has been stored in tanks for around 20 years after being produced as a by-product of Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) fuel reprocessing. Now a project to reduce the risk is underway with more than 30 drums, totalling 15,000 litres, filled with solid waste as part of an initial commissioning process.
Project Manager Stuart Andrew explained: "One reason this material is so hazardous is because it is in a mobile, liquid form. Now we are taking an exact amount from each tank to create a consistent blend. It is then mixed with cement, pulverised fuel ash and lime powders to create a solid, passively safe waste package."
Dounreay Waste Director Sam Usher added: "With similar liquid waste from two of Dounreay's reactors already made safe, this is the last piece of the jigsaw and probably our highest single remaining hazard. Safely and compliantly creating the first solid waste drums is a huge achievement for the team and a major step forward as we deal with the site's legacy hazards."
It has taken almost 2 years to modify plant and equipment after the same facilities were used to process more than 230m³ of Dounreay Fast Reactor raffinate until 2016. Now up to 100 drums, each taking around 70 minutes to be mixed in cement, are expected to be produced in the next few months as part of the first phase of this programme. All PFR raffinate is expected to have been processed within the next 5 years.
Mark Raffle, Lead Programme Manager from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, said: “Immobilisation of this highly radioactive liquid will be a significant step towards reducing the remaining hazards at Dounreay. Completion of this work will enable decommissioning of the major facility where the material is currently stored, moving the site closer towards its interim end state.”
Companies are currently being asked to express an interest in a contract to construct an extension to the facility where the waste packages will be stored in accordance with the Scottish Government’s higher activity radioactive waste policy. The multi-million pound construction project is expected to begin later this year.
Dounreay, once the UK’s centre of fast reactor research, is now Scotland’s largest nuclear decommissioning project and is widely recognised as Europe’s most complex nuclear closure programme. The work is being delivered by Dounreay Site Restoration Limited, a company owned by Cavendish Dounreay Partnership, on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Workers at the Dounreay nuclear power complex in Caithness have voted to strike in a dispute over pay. The GMB union said its ballot had an 85% turnout.
GAD has built a pension benefit modeller to support the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as it undertakes a pension reform programme. The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) has supported the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as it undertakes a pension reform programme.
NRS Dounreay and socio economic partners hosted the second FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge North Highland Tournament in March with local schools taking part. The North Highland tournament took place in March at ETEC on the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) North West and Hebrides Thurso Campus.
Unite the union confirmed around 450 of its members employed by Magnox Limited based at Dounreay power station are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute. The ballot which is now open will close on 2 April.
This week, the NDA group hosted it's first ever large-scale graduate recruitment event in Manchester, with over 600 candidates in attendance. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group held its first ever large-scale graduate recruitment event in Manchester this week, bringing together more than 600 candidates as it looks to double the number of opportunities across its graduate schemes this year.
The NDA Draft Business Plan sets out key activities and expected progress for all 17 of the NDA's nuclear sites over the next 3 years. We want to hear from anyone who has a comment on any aspect of this document.
NRS is delighted to announce that we are recruiting over 30 level 2 - 6 engineering and business apprentices to deliver our decommissioning mission. John Vickerman, Chief People Officer, commented: "NRS is an exciting place to be.
Today, Monday 20 November, the NDA has opened registration for its tenth nuclear decommissioning supply chain event, which will be held at The International Centre in Telford on 27 June 2024. Launched in 2011, the supply chain event has gone on to attract a total of around 10,000 visitors from more than 20 countries over the years, representing thousands of companies both large and small.
A key programme of work at the Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria is making real progress. The Repository, which is part of Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) and manages disposal of the UK's low level radioactive waste, has started key work on the final capping of historic trenches and vaults which are now full and ready for permanent closure.
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) and Women in Nuclear (WiN UK) hosted an event for young people to promote and showcase career opportunities in the nuclear industry. Around 150 students attended the first ever Nuclear Connection Science Fair in Oxford, hosted by NWS and Women in Nuclear (WiN UK) on 10 November 2023.
