DRAGON goes into long-term Care & Maintenance
April 4, 2008
It has recently been announced that DRAGON will be put into long term care and maintenance until decommissioning funding becomes available. This is currently estimated at 2023.
Although decommissioning will cease, the fabric of the building will be maintained to ensure the integrity of the second containment and there will be a requirement for several systems in the facility including the ventilation system, the electrical distribution system and the active drains. Also when decommissioning recommences in time, equipment such as the 25-tonne polar crane will be needed again, so this will be inspected and maintained regularly and kept operational.
Exemplary Safety Record
The safety record of the DRAGON decommissioning team is exemplary. Since, 2005, the project has worked without a lost time injury and received a gold award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). In 2007 the Considerate Constructors Association scored the project at such a high level above compliance to put it in a range for national awards.
Karl Schuler, DRAGON Project Manager said, “Even though we had decommissioning crews with relatively little experience in exacting safe systems of work control procedures and practices, it was gratifying that the management team was so diligent in reinforcing safe work practices that we had only a few minor first aids and no lost time injuries in almost 300 thousand man-hours of work.”
Decommissioning began in July 2005 when Costain Nuclear was awarded a contract for the removal of all redundant equipment in the inner and outer containment and non-containment areas, decontamination to low levels, treatment of wastes and refurbishment activities. This work was scheduled to be completed in 2008 ahead of the task of decommissioning the reactor main pressure vessel. However, in line with latest NDA planning, DRAGON will no longer be in accelerated decommissioning, but remain in a lengthy period of care and maintenance.
Karl Schuler concluded by praising the dedication of the DRAGON decommissioning team, “I was the most pleased with the team’s determination to continue to try to progress the work. The team was also creative in its environmental protection practices as it opened up the very low level waste route, and even reused concrete-cutting sludge to prepare access walkways. The personnel were resilient and always maintained a refreshing sense of professionalism and propriety even under adverse circumstances. I would look forward to being able to work with them again.”
For more information please contact: Emma Burwood, Winfrith Communcations Manager
