New name in nuclear clean-up reports progress
November 15, 2009
There’s a new name to get used to in the nuclear clean-up industry.
Research Sites Restoration Ltd (RSRL), the company formed in February 2009 to take on the task of decommissioning former nuclear facilities and restoring the environment at its sites at Harwell in Oxfordshire and Winfrith in Dorset, has just published the first review of its progress so far.
According to the review, 2008/09 was a year of transition, teamwork and technical excellence.
Despite the considerable changes and substantial restructuring needed to make the new company a reality, RSRL has continued to demonstrate world class operational performance, while maintaining and improving its all-important focus on safety standards.
In his introduction to the report, RSRL Managing Director Alan Neal says: ‘The transition to RSRL was complicated, taking time and effort, and I thank our staff and contractors for their hard work. It is a privilege to lead this brand-new company into the future, bringing innovation, ingenuity and technical excellence to our sites.’
Commenting on the fact that no safety incidents were reported at either site during the period of the report, Dr Brian Burnett of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority says: ‘This is good news indeed and shows truly world class performance. I’d like to congratulate everyone for responding so magnificently to the challenges they faced.’
RSRL carries out its clean-up programmes under contract to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and was formed from existing UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) teams at Harwell and Winfrith.
A pioneer in the UK’s nuclear industry since the 1940s, Harwell now has a reputation for pioneering decommissioning and demolition projects. Once cleaned up and restored, the Harwell site will be available for development for other uses, including as part of a major science and innovation campus.
Harwell achievements highlighted in the 2008/09 RSRL Annual Sites Review include:
A machine, specially designed and built to remotely retrieve cans of waste held in storage at Harwell for up to 50 years, began operating successfully.
More than 3,000 cans of intermediate level waste and 9,000 cubic metres of effluent waste were processed.
Work to clean up and prepare a significant area of land in the eastern part of the site for eventual nuclear delicensing – including the construction of a new entrance and a new building for the police and emergency response teams – is well underway.
Two former RAF buildings from the 1930s were demolished.
Winfrith achievements highlighted in the 2008/09 RSRL Annual Sites Review include:
An active former nuclear facility dating from the 1960s was demolished – the first of its type to be fully decommissioned and remediated.
More than 300 drums of waste from the operational days of Winfrith’s Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor were encapsulated for safe storage.
More than 400 cubic metres of low level waste were exported for storage.
Winfrith’s two remaining reactors, Dragon and the Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor, continued to be kept in a state of care and maintenance.
Please link on the following link for the Annual Sites Review 2008/09 Publication
For more information or copies please contact RSRL Communications Manager, Angela Vincent
