Other Public Services News

GONE IN 90 SECONDS.....DOUNREAY CLEAN-UP ACCELERATED IN NEW VIDEO

It's already been cut from 100 years to 25 years.  Now, the timescale for cleaning up and knocking down Dounreay has been accelerated to just 90 seconds in a new video showing how the site will look when decommissioning is complete.  

SEPA's footprint growing greener

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) continues to lead by example and is on track to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 20%.   A series of initiatives has resulted in Scotland's environment watchdog achieving six out of its seven environmental performance targets, according to an independently validated report1 published recently.  

Festive fly-tipping is unacceptable

Over the holiday season many Scots will have a bit of a clear out, especially those who have grabbed a bargain in the sales.  This inevitably means households have a number of bulky items and bags of rubbish to get rid of.  

DECOMMISSIONING OPERATIVES RECEIVE CERTIFICATES FROM SAFETY DIRECTOR

During his last visit to site Laurence Williams, Health & Safety Director, NDA presented certificates to the latest candidates who have completed their SVQ Level 2 in Nuclear Technology Decommissioning following 9 months of extensive training and assessment verification in D1204.   The candidates are required to demonstrate their competence by completing a series of core units which are independently and nationally verified to maintain the required standard.  

Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 16

FIRST OF DOUNREAY FUEL PLANTS IS DEMOLISHED Demolition has started on the first of Dounreay's redundant nuclear fuel plants.  The fuel fabrication facility manufactured more than 10,000 fuel elements for research material test reactors in the UK and abroad, until it was shut down in 2004.  

Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 13

30th October 2007 CLEAN-UP TEAM BEGINS TO STRIP FAST REACTOR Ripping out the innards of Dounreay's famous dome has begun, with the stripping out of the integral reactor ducting and associated equipment that once helped power Britain's first fast breeder reactor.   The reactor well ventilation ducting and some electro-magnetic pump ductwork is being removed from the sphere in order to minimise hazards for future decommissioning work and to open up access routes for the removal of the DFR breeder.  

Dounreay News October 2007

The Dounreay site newspaper for Octoebr 2007 is now out and can be read online here..  

Particles Could Be Cleaned Up Earlier Than Expected

The clean-up operation for radioactive particles offshore could be substantially complete within seven years while onshore monitoring with removal of detected particles would continue for a longer period if UKAEA's recommended way forward is accepted.   Following a review of all the information gained from public consultation, studies, test & trials, independent expert reports, improvements in the monitoring technologies and the knowledge gained by offshore mapping surveys, it is believed that an environmentally and publicly acceptable clean up could be achieved within this timescale.  

Dounreay Apprentices Receive Their Certificates

This year's Dounreay Apprentices Indenture ceremony took place on 21 September in the Pentland Hotel.   Ten apprentices, from UKAEA and Johnson Controls, received their certificates from John Thurso MP, the guest speaker.  

National Skills Academy for Nuclear Approved by Government

An employer-led proposal has won government approval from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) for the creation of a National Skills Academy for Nuclear.   The announcement made by the Skills Minister David Lammy, 24th September 2007, follows the evaluation of a detailed business plan which was submitted to the DIUS in May 2007.