Quick facts

Work to deliver the Harwell site programme and achieve the site end-point is covered by two key phases: interim end-state and site closure.

Interim end-state, 2008 to 2031
  • The interim end-state phase includes the management of wastes from historic operations and new decommissioning arisings; decommissioning activities including on the British Experimental Pile 'O' (BEPO), DIDO and PLUTO reactors; the delicensing of the majority of the site, subject to approval by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate; and the remediation of areas of contaminated land.
Site closure, 2032 to 2064
  • The site closure phase includes the end of waste operations in the Vault Store and ILW Store; the decommissioning of remaining facilities in the Solid Waste Complex and the remediation of associated land; the termination of the Western Storage Area (WSA) groundwater containment plant; and the submission of final delicensing cases for the Solid Waste Complex.
  • The end-point of the site will be achieved when all redundant buildings on the site have been demolished and base slabs removed, all contaminated land remediated and all areas of the site delicensed.

Harwell at a glance

The Harwell site is being cleaned up in two phases:
  • Phase one (2008 to 2031) – radioactive wastes made safe and redundant facilities decommissioned.
  • Phase two (2032 to 2064) – remainder of the site restored to make clean land and buildings available for development.

 

BEPO Reactor

Image: BEPO Operating at Harwell

RM2 Machine B462

Image: RM2 Machine B462 Harwell

WSA Soil Vapour Extraction

Image: WSA Soil Vapour Extraction at Harwell