Hunterston A Decommissioning
North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK · Operations 1964-1990, Decommissioning ongoing · Part of Magnox Ltd decommissioning budget
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchA complex and challenging ten-year project is underway to safely retrieve, package, and store over 2,100 tonnes of solid intermediate level waste. - The site is undergoing a phased decommissioning approach, with a focus on hazard reduction. - The project highlights the significant effort and time required to decommission early generation nuclear power plants.
Key engineering challenges
Decommissioning a twin Magnox reactor site, including the safe retrieval, packaging, and storage of intermediate level waste. - Managing the long-term environmental impact and ensuring safety during the extended decommissioning process. - Dismantling complex reactor structures and associated facilities. - Adapting to evolving regulatory requirements and technological advancements in decommissioning.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Magnox Ltd (subsidiary of Nuclear Decommissioning Authority)
- Lead contractor
- Magnox Ltd
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- decommissioning
- Scale
- Two Magnox reactors, ~360 MW electrical output, 2,100 tonnes of solid intermediate level waste
- Disciplines
- nuclear; civil; structural; mechanical; electrical; waste management; remote handling
- Standards & frameworks
- ONR
Sources: ONR: Hunterston A (https://www.onr.org.uk/our-work/what-we-regulate/sellafield-decommissioning-fuel-and-waste/sites/hunterston-a) - NRS SSG: Hunterston A site (https://nrsssg.com/site/hunterston-a/) - World Nuclear Association: Hunterston A 1 (https://world-nuclear.org/nuclear-reactor-database/details/Hunterston-A-1) - Wikipedia: Hunterston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunterston)