Proposal To Move Breeder Fuel From Dounreay To Sellafield

11th July 2011

The NDA has published Preferred and Credible Options associated with the management of DFR breeder material, currently stored at Dounreay. The paper describes and discusses the relevant factors associated with each high level option, and draws conclusions based on the analysis.

This consideration has shown that there is a clear and compelling strategic case for the NDA management option for DFR breeder material to be changed from immobilization, at Dounreay, to management with spent Magnox fuel at Sellafield, the reference strategy for which is reprocessing.

Work still needs to be completed by the Site Licence Companies (SLCs) to deliver the final business case to the NDA to confirm this view, or otherwise, so a decision can be made to implement the selected strategy for management of DFR breeder material.

In preparing the final business case, the SLCs and NDA will need to engage with regulators, stakeholders and local communities to gain their view of the proposed strategy for management of this material.

If you have any comments on the paper, please email your comments to strategy[AT]nda.gov.uk by end of August 2011.

It is anticipated that the final business case will be presented in early autumn 2011 and that a decision by NDA will follow within 2 months of receipt. Should management of DFR breeder material at Sellafield become the approved strategy, transportation will commence in during 2012.

See Report
Exotic Fuels - Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) Breeder Credible and Preferred Options - July 2011 (100K)
http://www.nda.gov.uk/documents/upload/Exotic-Fuels-Dounreay-Fast-Reactor-DFR-Breeder-Credible-and-Preferred-Options-July-2011.pdf