Radioactive Waste Management Challenges and Opportunities in the United Kingdom

Conference · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2007

OSTI ID:21290831

North, K; Ball, A ^[1]

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1. British Nuclear Group - Magnox Electric Ltd, Bridgwater, Somerset TA5 1YA (United Kingdom)

Since 1956, 44 nuclear reactors have been built in the United Kingdom; 26 of which are Magnox Power Stations owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Twenty-two NDA reactors are currently in decommissioning phase with the remaining four scheduled for decommissioning by 2010. Estimates are 2 million m{sup 3} of low level waste (LLW) and 350,000 m{sup 3} intermediate level wastes (ILW) will be generated during decommissioning activities. Supporting an accelerated schedule poses both challenges and opportunities including transitioning from generation to final site clearance with a workforce inexperienced in decommissioning; insufficient in-country waste management treatment capabilities and disposal capacities; limited Company experience in waste management, decontamination, reclassification and innovative treatment technologies; and ongoing requirements for flexible regulatory strategy that both Regulators and Stakeholders accept. Delivery of safe, innovative streamlined projects and global benchmarking of similar Defueling and Decommissioning (D and D) activities has been initiated. As transition from power generation power to D and D occurs, emphasis will be on performing decommissioning work and utilising various waste management technologies and opportunities. Considerations include utilisation of different approaches to concrete remediation; installation of on-site low level waste storage facilities with repacking, size reduction and decontamination capabilities; inter-site waste transfers of waste for consolidated management; on-site disposal capability; implementation of more efficient waste characterisation and tracking management systems and tools; and new off-site waste management treatment/disposal capabilities. (authors)

• Research Organization: WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 21290831
• Report Number(s): INIS-US--09-WM-07231
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CONCRETES
DECOMMISSIONING
DECONTAMINATION
INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MAGNOX
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
REMEDIAL ACTION
STORAGE FACILITIES
UNITED KINGDOM