Dounreay Shaft Remediation
Dounreay, Caithness, Scotland, UK · 1950s (construction), 2013-2031 (remediation ongoing, waste emptying by 2029, final remediation by 2031) · £20m (Cavendish Nuclear contract), part of overall Dounreay site decommissioning budget
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchThe shaft was originally constructed for liquid effluent discharge and later used for ILW storage, highlighting evolving waste management practices and the challenges of legacy facilities. - An explosion in 1977 and subsequent leaks underscore the risks associated with historical waste disposal methods and the urgency of remediation. - The project is considered the "world's deepest nuclear clean-up," requiring innovative and bespoke engineering solutions for remote operations. - The extended timeline for remediation emphasizes the complexity, duration, and significant investment required for nuclear decommissioning projects.
Key engineering challenges
Remediating a 65m deep shaft used for Intermediate Level Waste storage, not originally designed for retrieval. - Dealing with historical radioactive spills and an explosion in the shaft. - Developing and deploying remote handling and intervention platforms for hazardous waste retrieval in a confined space. - Ensuring long-term environmental safety and containment of the remediated area, considering geological factors.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL)
- Lead contractor
- Cavendish Nuclear, NUVIA
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- decommissioning
- Scale
- 65m deep shaft, used for Intermediate Level Waste storage
- Disciplines
- nuclear; civil; structural; mechanical; robotics; waste management; remote handling; geology
- Standards & frameworks
- ONR
Sources: Veolia Nuclear Solutions: Shaft Intervention Platform (https://www.nuclearsolutions.veolia.com/en/our-expertise/case-studies/shaft-intervention-platform) - BBC News: £20m contract awarded in clean-up of Dounreay's shaft (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czr4gr4nn8yo) - BBC News: Dounreay: 'World's deepest nuclear clean-up' to begin (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-54085592) - GOV.UK: World's deepest nuclear clean-up underway (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/worlds-deepest-nuclear-clean-up-underway) - Construction Management: Dounreay nuclear site land ready for re-use in 2333 (https://constructionmanagement.co.uk/dounreay-nuclear-site-land-ready-for-re-use-in-2333/) - INIS-IAEA: Development of the remediation strategy for the Dounreay (https://inis.iaea.org/records/52yy8-bze90) - Friends of Bruce: Dounreay, Scotland (http://friendsofbruce.ca/dgr/nuclear-energy-issues/nuclear-diaster-case-studies/dounreay-scotland/)