RSRL Update IMechE Nuclear Decommissioning Conference 27 June 2012 Tony Wratten RSRL Managing Director
RSRL - WHO ARE WE? 2 sites Harwell (Oxfordshire) and Winfrith (Dorset) 100 miles apart Turnover ~ 60m ~ 30M external spend ~ 400 Staff
Harwell History 1946: Atomic Energy Research Establishment created 1990: Reactors begin closing 1996: Restructuring to focus on decommissioning 2005: Contract with NDA 2009: Transition to Research Sites Restoration, Ltd. 2010: UKAEA Ltd. sold to Babcock
Harwell Lifetime Plan Near term focus: Legacy waste processing Groundwater clean-up Campus development facilitation Long term focus: Complete decommissioning i i Store intermediate level waste until national facility ready
2011/12 Harwell Programme Highlights g 700 + ILW cans processed LETP readied for decommissioning Three LETP tanks sludge removed 50 radium cans processed B220 radium processing completed 4,000m active drain removed Trade waste drain project completed Six buildings demolished Four delay tanks decommissioned Nuclear materials shipment business case approved North Gate Area de-licensed
2012/13 Harwell Programme B462 ILW Processing on 3 shifts LETP Decommissioning B220/459 to Care and Maintenance ILW Store Planning and Design Offsite Discharge Pipeline Test Section Removal B551 Decommissioning B466 Pond Decontamination Old Main Active Drain Removal Waste Shipments
Legacy Waste Processing
Active Drain Decommissioning 12 Km of trade level active drain network decommissioned In-situ cleaning and probe ~95% grouted in-situ as clean 700m of 4000m main active drain decommissioned by excavation to date Part of an effluent strategy to reduce liquid discharges, utilise foul sewers, and replace current effluent plant with a much smaller fit for purpose plant
Harwell Demolitions B392 B220 Annex
BEPO Irradiation Facility Demolition
B220 Cell Clean-out and Building Demolitions
Harwell Eastern Area Removal Project De-License: Done De-Designate: D 12/2012
Waste Prepared for Shipment to Augean
RSRL Plans Include a New ILW Store ILW produced through Harwell work B462 tube store removals to Vault Store BEPO, DIDO, PLUTO reactor decommissioning Storage needed until geological disposal facility (GDF) available GDF currently planned to receive ILW after ate 2040 0 Makes more of the Harwell site available for campus development Typical ILW Container for Decommissioning Waste
RSRL Starting Planning Work on ILW Store Work on planning application started Targeting September submission Consultation expected from September Considering options for Harwell, Winfrith and Culham ILW to achieve benefits including... Release of land for new uses Avoid unnecessary construction Redirect construction ti and operations costs to support decommissioning activities No decision has been made
Nuclear Material to Sellafield NDA option study recommended transfer of Harwell nuclear material to Sellafield Hazard reduced Security improved Costs reduced NDA approved joint business case Two years preparations followed by about 5 year shipping operation Safety cases Flask licensing B462 minor modifications
Winfrith History Prototype reactor site for civil nuclear power development Work started in 1957 500 hectares total land holdings (150 fenced) Total of eight reactors operated between 1959 and 1995 About 2/3 is a Nuclear Licensed Site West of site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
ORIGINAL MISSION 1958 - mid 1990s WINFRITH TIME LINE EARLY DECOMMISSIONING AND DEVELOPMENT OF WINFRITH TECHNOLGY CENTRE mid 1990s to 2004 ONGOING SITE CLOSURE PROGRAMME PHASE 3 PHASE 1 PHASE 2 WEST Site Closure SEPARATION OF THE WINFRITH TECHNOLGY CENTRE
Winfrith SGHWR
SGHWR Decommissioning Deaerator Turbine & Condenser Refuelling Machines & Rotating Shields
Winfrith DRAGON Reactor
Dragon Decommissioning Fission Product Clean Up Plant Transfer Tunnel & Other Plant
A59 Decommissioning Demolition Operation Decommissioning Remediation
Site of no f ll decommissioned Acti e Handling B ilding Site of now fully decommissioned Active Handling Building A59
SGHWR Sludge Immobilisation EAST WETP TRS
RSRL Programme Resolve a 70 Year Legacy Manage M legacy waste: ~6,600 ILW cans in B462 Ship nuclear materials to Sellafield Contact handled ILW Complete remaining decommissioning scope: 5 reactors 1 large radiochemical facility 3 shielded cell facilities 2 liquid effluent treatment plants and discharge pipelines Numerous N contaminated t facilities Contaminated land