The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Two Magnox sites are pushing ahead with work to accelerate decommissioning and reach the 'Care and Maintenance' milestone years ahead of schedule. Trawsfynydd and Bradwell are clearing hazards, removing redundant plant in preparation for demolition and testing innovative practices in order to set a benchmark for the remaining Magnox sites. 

'Care and Maintenance' (C&M) marks the phase when all major decommissioning work is complete, leaving only a waste store and the sealed reactors which will be monitored until final dismantling starts in around 60 years time, when the deep Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) is expected to be operational. Trawsfynydd is due to enter C&M in 2016, five years earlier than originally planned, while Bradwell will save 12 years by reaching C&M in 2015. The timeframe for both sites is challenging – but achievable – and the workforces are seizing the opportunity to lead the way for the rest of the fleet.

Bringing the hall down at Bradwell

 
Bradwell pond before clean-out

Preparations for demolition of the turbine hall are forging ahead at Bradwell.

The project team has been busy stripping metal, removing asbestos, knocking down ancillary buildings and ensuring all projects are on track to deliver the tight milestones.

The latest success is the demolition of the auxiliary turbine hall, following on from the completion of other key facilities including the main control room, water treatment plant and the battery room.

Graham Cotton, Project Manager, said:

"The project has been through, and will go through, some testing times due to the nature of the works to be undertaken.

"However, with determination, drive and expertise, both our contractor and staff working together as one team have the ability to deliver the objectives of this project safely and successfully."

 
Bradwell pond after clean-out

On the reactors, work is under way to remove redundant pipework, while the ponds project is steaming ahead with the use of new equipment to remove furniture and sludge.

Dealing with waste at Trawsfynydd

 
Work is being completed on the internal capping roof at Trawsfynydd

At Trawsfynydd, there are seven key projects to achieving the 'Accelerated Plan', and all are so far, on or ahead of schedule.

As Site Director Dave Wilson says: "It's a real challenge to progress work towards Care and Maintenance at the Trawsfynydd site on an accelerated timescale. A huge amount of decommissioning work has already been undertaken and we remain committed to working safely and efficiently towards this important milestone for the NDA and the UK taxpayer." 

Some of the achievements to date include the transfer, ahead of schedule, of 53 packages to the Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) store, the only such operational store in the Magnox fleet. It is estimated that there are around 288 packages to be loaded in total.

In terms of waste, the site team is investigating innovative methods of destroying radioactive waste oil and the potential recycling of ILW Fuel Element Debris.

 
A waste package is transferred into the ILW store at Trawsfynydd

Most wet waste has already been retrieved and encapsulated, however, the remaining material requires remotely controlled retrieval, and the focus is on developing the right equipment to complete this.

Major work is also under way on the reactor buildings, where internal capping roofs are being completed to enable the building height to be reduced, structural repairs are ongoing while asbestos and plant are being removed. 

Other vital work includes the ongoing ponds project, where scabbling of the contaminated concrete surface is under way and will lead to eventual demolition of the complex. The ponds team also designed an award-winning, innovative piece of equipment for lifting plant out of the pond lanes – collecting Idea of the Year in the Health and Safety Category at Ideas UK.