NDA launches UK strategy for managing low level radioactive waste
27 August 2010 – NDA - The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has published the UK Strategy for the Management of Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) from the Nuclear Industry. Low level waste covers a wide variety of lightly contaminated material that arises as scrap and redundant equipment in both nuclear and non-nuclear industries. It generally comprises plastic, paper, clothing, wood, metal and building rubble. Managing this waste effectively is vital for nuclear decommissioning and power generation operations and for other LLW producers, such as hospitals and universities.
Publication of the final strategy follows a consultation on the draft, which ran from June to November in 2009. 74 responses were received on the draft strategy and its accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment. These were provided from a wide range of parties, including Regulators, Local Authorities from across the UK, supply chain companies and other interested groups.
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Chapelcross hits defuelling milestone
26 August 2010 - NEI Magazine - Fifty flasks of spent nuclear fuel from the Chapelcross nuclear power station has been shipped to Sellafield for reprocessing, operator Magnox North said today.
Since defueling began in August 2009, 20% of the fuel elements (7178) have been removed from the four reactors at Chapelcross.Removal of all 38,075 fuel elements is due to be completed by April 2012.
Electric-operated tugs are being used to move flasks containing the spent fuel from the Chapelcross reactor chambers to flask handling bays. Flasks are then shipped to Sellafield. The system supplied by MasterMover has helped to reduce the risk of handling-related injuries.
To move a flask from the reactor chamber to the flask-handling bay at Chapelcross, the integrated flask and bogie first need to be guided along the track.
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Magnox plants could operate to 2012
12 August 2010 – World Nulcear News – The UK's only remaining operating Magnox nuclear power stations, Oldbury and Wylfa, are looking at operating well beyond their current scheduled closure dates.
Oldbury, on the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire, is currently scheduled to close down in June 2011, but site manager Joe Lamonby told a recent stakeholder group meeting that it is likely there will still be enough fuel to operate one of the plant's two reactors beyond that. He told stakeholders that there would not be enough fuel to continue running both reactors - Magnox fuel is no longer being manufactured - but spare fuel from one reactor could be put into the other to keep it operating. The units are owned by the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Agency (NDA).
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Contaminated Land - Detoxified!
10 July 2010 - CIRIA, in conjunction with the contaminated-land.org website, has launched its industry leading contaminated land eLearning modules. The course aims to provide an excellent foundation level understanding of contaminated land legislation and technical matters. Packed with authoritive guidance, this course offers flexibility and exceptional value for money to recent graduates and professionals with limited experience. Structured to fit around your current working hours, the short course brings together authoritive guidance, an understanding of brownfield and contaminated land legislation and a flexible approach to learning.
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£4 billion underground nuclear waste dump revealed
9 July 2010 - Britain's nuclear watchdog has revealed plans for dealing with an increased amount of radio-active waste generated in the country. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's (NDA) solution to radioactive waste is to dump it deep underground in a £4 billion specially designed facility. The plans is put forward in the NDA's latest 'Geological Disposal: Steps towards implementation' published today.
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30 June 2010
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority plans to axe 30% of its 300 staff following the completion of the privatisation process of its six site licence companies. The Authority has been conducting a review of its effectiveness and has proposed large scale restructuring. The drive to reduce overheads and support comes in unison with similar imperative at the site licence companies.
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6 June 2010
Britain is facing a £4bn black hole in unavoidable nuclear decommissioning and waste costs, Chris Huhne, the energy and climate change secretary disclosed. The additional costs derive from slowly rising expenditure on nuclear decommissioning and falling income due to the closure of aging power plants.
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