皇冠体育app

Each underground vault has been designed to take low-activity waste. 皇冠体育app waste is generated during the clean-out and dismantling of nuclear reactors, reprocessing plant and other radioactive facilities at the site. It is currently stored in containers on the site.

皇冠体育app first of up to 6 vaults needed to take all the waste, they were handed over today to Cavendish Dounreay Partnership and its site licence company DSRL in a ceremony that also marked the beginning of the consortium鈥檚 third year in charge of Europe鈥檚 biggest nuclear site closure project.

Today鈥檚 milestone triggered a 拢300,000 payment to good causes in Caithness and North Sutherland under a scheme funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to mitigate the social and economic effects of site closure.

Roger Hardy, chairman of Cavendish Dounreay Partnership and managing director of Cavendish Nuclear, the lead partner, said:

Without these new facilities, we could not complete the clean-up and closure of the site, so today鈥檚 handover is a major step forward in our work to decommission this site and return it to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in a condition that is safe for future generations.

This project was one of the major milestones of the contract we signed with the NDA in 2012. I鈥檓 delighted today, at the start of the third of the year of our contract with the NDA, to report that we are continuing to deliver on all of the commitments contained in that contract.

He was speaking inside the covered vaults at a handover ceremony attended by more than 200 guests and members of staff.

Low-active waste created during the operation of the site was disposed of in a series of shallow pits, until they became full in the 1990s.

皇冠体育app site consulted in 2003 on what should happen to up to 175,000 cubic metres of low-active waste expected to arise during the decommissioning phase. Planning permission was granted in 2009 for up to 6 underground vaults adjacent to the eastern perimeter of the site, capable of taking the existing and future arisings of low-active waste as more of the site is decommissioned.

皇冠体育app Nuclear Decommissioning Authority agreed to create a 拢4 million community benefit fund as part of the development. Today鈥檚 milestone sees a further payment into the fund of 拢300,000, following an initial 拢1 million in 2011 when construction started.

Subject to regulatory and other consents, the first containers of waste are due to be moved off the Dounreay site later this year, filled with grout and placed in the vaults. Once each vault is full, it will be back-filled with grout to create a monolithic block that will protect future generations from harm.

John Clarke, chief executive of the NDA, said:

皇冠体育app NDA is committed to managing radioactive waste in a way that protects the public and the environment. Our major investment in these facilities underlines how seriously we take that responsibility and our responsibility to help the community adjust to the effects of closing down Dounreay.

皇冠体育app first two vaults and ancillary plant were developed at a cost of approximately 拢20 million. 皇冠体育app total cost of managing the low-active waste through the closure programme is expected to be in the region of 拢110 million. GRAHAM Construction excavated a total of 243,000 cubic metres of rock during construction of the two vaults. Each vault is equivalent in volume to between 370 and 450 double-decker buses, with the floor 11 metres underground. A total of 7,600m3 of concrete, 1,330 tonnes of reinforcement and 260 tonnes of structural steel were used during their construction.

Decisions about the development of further vaults will be made as part of a review of the site closure programme now being carried out to accommodate changes made by the NDA to its nuclear fuels strategy.

皇冠体育app Caithness and North Sutherland Fund was set up in 2011 to receive 拢4 million from the NDA as part of the development.

An initial payment of 拢1 million was made in 2011. Since then, grants totalling 拢855,000 have been awarded to 65 community groups to pursue projects with a total combined value of 拢4.4 million.

Over the next 10 years, the NDA will make available a further 拢3 million to the fund.