RSRL UpdateIMechE Nuclear DecommissioningDecommissioning Conference27 June 2012

Tony WrattenRSRL Managing Director

RSRL - WHO ARE WE?

2 i H ll (O f d hi )• 2 sites – Harwell (Oxfordshire) and Winfrith (Dorset)

• 100 miles apart

T £60• Turnover ~ £60m

• ~£30M external spendp

• ~ 400 Staff

Harwell Historyy

1946: Atomic Energy Research Establishment createdEstablishment created

1990: Reactors begin closing1996: Restructuring to focus1996: Restructuring to focus

on decommissioning2005: Contract with NDA2005: Contract with NDA2009: Transition to Research

Sites Restoration LtdSites Restoration, Ltd.2010: UKAEA Ltd. sold to

Babcock

Harwell Lifetime PlanNear term focus:

– Legacy waste processingg y p g– Groundwater clean-up– Campus development

f ilit tifacilitation

Long term focus: C l t d i i i– Complete decommissioning

– Store intermediate level waste until national facility readyy y

2011/12 Harwell Programme Highlightsg g g700+ ILW cans processedLETP readied for decommissioningLETP readied for decommissioningThree LETP tanks’ sludge removed50 radium cans processedB220 radium processing completed4,000m active drain removedT d t d i j t l t dTrade waste drain project completedSix buildings demolishedFour delay tanks decommissionedFour delay tanks decommissionedNuclear materials shipment business case approvedNorth Gate Area de-licensed

2012/13 Harwell Programmeg

• B462 ILW Processing on 3 shifts• LETP Decommissioning• B220/459 to Care and Maintenance

ILW S Pl i d D i• 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 Decommissioningg

• 12 Km of trade level active drain network decommissionednetwork decommissioned– In-situ cleaning and probe– ~95% grouted in-situ as clean

• 700m of 4000m main active drain decommissioned by excavation to dateexcavation to date

• Part of an effluent strategy to reduce liquid discharges, utilise f l d l tfoul sewers, and replace current effluent plant with a much smaller fit for purpose plant

Harwell Demolitions

B392 B220 Annex

BEPO Irradiation Facility Demolitiony

B220 Cell Clean-out and Building Demolitionsg

Harwell Eastern Area Removal Projectj

De-License: DoneD D i t 12/2012De-Designate: 12/2012

Waste Prepared for Shipment to Augeanp p g

RSRL Plans Include a New ILW Store

• ILW produced through Harwell workp g– B462 tube store removals to Vault

StoreBEPO DIDO PLUTO reactor– BEPO, DIDO, PLUTO reactor decommissioning

• Storage needed until geological disposal facility (GDF) available – GDF currently planned to receive

ILW after 2040a te 0 0• Makes more of the Harwell site

available for campus developmentTypical ILW Container for Decommissioning Waste

RSRL Starting Planning Work on ILW Storeg g

• Work on planning application started– Targeting September submission– Targeting September submission– Consultation expected from

September• Considering options for Harwell,

Winfrith and Culham ILW to achieve benefits including...g– Release of land for new uses– Avoid unnecessary construction

R di t t ti d– Redirect construction 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– Security improved– Costs reduced

• NDA approved joint business case• Two years preparations followed by

about 5 year shipping operationSafety cases– Safety cases

– Flask licensing– B462 minor modifications

Winfrith HistoryWinfrith History• Prototype reactor site for civil nuclear power

developmentdevelopment• 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)( )

EARLY DECOMMISSIONING

WINFRITH TIME LINE

ORIGINAL MISSION

AND DEVELOPMENT OF WINFRITH TECHNOLGY CENTRE

ONGOING SITE CLOSURE PROGRAMMEORIGINAL MISSION

1958 - mid 1990s

CENTRE

mid 1990s to 2004PHASE 1 PHASE 3PHASE 2

Site ClosureWEST

SEPARATION OF THE WINFRITHTHE WINFRITH TECHNOLGY CENTRE

Winfrith SGHWR

SGHWR DecommissioningRefuelling Machines &

g

Deaerator Turbine & Condenser

Refuelling Machines & Rotating Shields

Winfrith DRAGON Reactor

Dragon Decommissioning

Fission Product Cl U Pl tClean Up Plant

Transfer Tunnel &Tunnel &

Other Plant

DemolitionA59 DecommissioningA59 Decommissioning

Operation Decommissioning

Remediation

Site of no f ll decommissioned Acti e Handling B ildingSite of now fully decommissioned Active Handling Building A59

SGHWR Sludge ImmobilisationSGHWR Sludge Immobilisation

EAST WETP TRS

RSRL Programme – Resolve a 70 Year LegacyM l t●Manage legacy waste: ■~6,600 ILW cans in B462

Ship nuclear materials to Sellafield■Ship nuclear materials to Sellafield■Contact handled ILW

●Complete remaining●Complete remaining decommissioning scope: ■5 reactors■5 reactors■1 large radiochemical facility ■3 shielded cell facilities■2 liquid effluent treatment plants and

discharge pipelinesN t i t d f iliti■Numerous contaminated facilities

■Contaminated land