UKAEA today welcomed the arrival of Britain's first purpose-built nuclear decommissioning test centre. The T3UK complex, incorporating a research institute of the UHI Millennium Institute, aims to become the country's leading site for trialling the techniques and equipment needed to safely dismantle Britain's nuclear legacy, as well as undertaking test work for the offshore and environmental sectors.
UKAEA APPLIES FOR PLANNING PERMISSION FOR NEXT DECOMMISSIONING PHASE UKAEA is seeking planning permission to commence the construction of new facilities at Dounreay with a combined value in excess of £127 million. A planning application has been submitted to the Highland Council for the construction of three facilities as outlined in phase one of the Highland Council's Dounreay Planning Framework, which was the subject of public consultation during 2005.
A worldwide search for technology capable of improving UKAEA's detection of radioactive particles on beaches near Dounreay has resulted in four companies being short-listed for the award of a contract to undertake the work. Four different systems, including an enhanced version of the system currently in use, were selected by a panel of experts after a series of trials to test their performance against the current system.
The first annual report on progress to decommission the former experimental reactor site at Dounreay is published today. Dounreay Review 2005/06 has been produced by UKAEA, the body carrying out the safe clean-up and dismantling of the 140-hectare site.
DOUNREAY DIRECTOR TAKES TEMPORARY CHARGE OF UKAEA Following Dipesh Shah's decision not to seek a further term as chief executive of the UKAEA when his current three-year term ends in November, Norman Harrison, currently the director at Dounreay, has been appointed acting chief operating officer of the UKAEA. While Dipesh Shah will remain as CEO for the balance of his appointment, Norman Harrison's role as acting chief operating officer will ensure continuity in the day-to-day running and performance of the organisation until a new CEO is appointed.
Pictured outside DFR during his first visit to Dounreay is Struan Stevenson, Conservative Euro MP (left) with Malcolm Clasper, Building Support Project Manager (right). During his visit, Struan was given a guided tour of the Dounreay site and DFR.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is receiving enquiries from farmers in relation to the marketing suspension of cypermethrin, also known as synthetic pyrethroid (SP), dip and is being asked whether charges still apply for them holding a licence to dispose of waste dip whilst these products cannot be sold. SEPA's position is that the annual charges still apply.
An independent report on the views of people in Caithness and north Sutherland about radioactive particles in the marine environment has been published. The report summarises the feedback from more than 400 people who took part in a series of information-gathering events ahead of formal consultation later this year on the options for dealing with the particles.
DOUNREAY DIRECTOR SETS OUT BENEFITS OF PROGRAMME ACCELERATION. A workforce that can safely deliver the decommissioning and demolition of Britain's fast reactor experiment at Dounreay is a workforce that will be in demand worldwide for its skills.
A planning application for the construction of facilities for disposing of solid low level radioactive waste from decommissioning Dounreay has been submitted to the Highland Council. UKAEA is seeking permission to construct a series of shallow engineered vaults adjacent to the existing nuclear licensed site, a grouting plant within the existing site and an administration block.
On Wednesday 21st June visitors from Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority & Russian Federal Medical Biological Agency enjoyed a visit to the Dounreay Site to learn more about UK experience in the management of radioactively contaminated facilities and related decommissioning waste management issues. During their visit, they were given a guided tour of site, PFR, DFR, the Shaft and WRACS.
A workforce that can safely deliver the decommissioning and demolition of Britain's fast reactor experiment at Dounreay is a workforce that will be in demand worldwide for its skills. This is the message delivered today by Norman Harrison, director of UKAEA Dounreay, in a new publication setting out the benefits of accelerated clean-up of the site and the efforts being made to find alternative employment for staff whose jobs presently depend on this work.
FORMATION OF SITE LICENCE COMPANY AT DOUNREAY Over the coming weeks and months, UKAEA will be restructuring itself. The purpose of this is two-fold - to enable the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to take ownership of its decommissioning sites and put their future management out to competition, and to enable part of UKAEA to be vested as a commercial bidder for this and other work.
£3.8M CLEAN-UP PLANT COMES INTO SERVICE A £3.8 million plant has commenced active commissioning ready to clean up effluent from the next phase of decommissioning Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor. The new plant will clean up effluent that comes from the dismantling of the old effluent treatment plant, decontamination of redundant components from PFR and the liquid effluent from the buffer store pond.
Confined space working; the very term brings a sense of caution to those who have to work in such an environment, and also to those responsible for the safety of personnel. It conjures up images of working in tight, ill-lit, underground areas, ducts and passageways.
Today the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) announces its agricultural waste roadshows to help the farming community and its suppliers comply with new waste management controls. 98% of holdings are already re-using at least one type of waste, but 72% are storing waste with no plans to use it.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has adopted an invaluable database which will not only assist in building up a true picture of the extent of fly-tipping, but help track those who illegally dump waste. Fly Capture is an electronic system which records the amount and type of waste illegally fly tipped in Scotland.
Issue 27 22 May 2006 £6.5 MILLION VENTILATION UPGRADE ENABLES REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING TO PROCEED A key phase in the decommissioning of the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) has been completed with the installation of a replacement ventilation system, comprising 1.5 kilometres of stainless steel ducting and costing £6.5 million. The 50-year-old ventilation needed to be replaced so that the sphere could be decommissioned safely.
A £3.8 million plant has commenced active commissioning ready to clean up effluent from the next phase of decommissioning Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor. The start-up of the plant marks the end of a highly successful design and construction project, which has maintained an exemplary safety record on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority by UKAEA and its contractors.
As Noise Action Week sets to roar (22 -26 May), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) today recommends some top tips for industry on sound. Measured in decibels (dB), sound affects us all - from everyday household sounds to traffic and industry noise.