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Dounreay Archive News Index 2005
12 December 05
Dounreay Seeks Way Forward On The
Particles
 The
largest consultation exercise ever undertaken by Dounreay’s operator was
announced today to identify the Best Practicable Environmental Option for
radioactive particles found in the seabed and beaches near the former
experimental reactor establishment.
A newsletter is being issued today
to more than a thousand registered stakeholders, outlining the
results of a £10 million research programme and inviting members of the
public to participate in a preliminary phase of engagement.
Bill Fernie Chairman Of The Public
Consultation Steering Group Wants To Hear All Opinions
 UKAEA has commissioned
consultants
Entec UK
to facilitate the preliminary phase of public engagement and the
transparency of the process is being overseen by a stakeholder
consultation steering group chaired by Councillor Bill Fernie, who
represents Wick West on Highland Council. He said: “A considerable
amount of work has gone into looking at how we might present
information to the public that is clear and open. The Steering Group
is looking forward to assisting everyone involved in making the
choices that will decide the future of how we deal with the particles
in the environment. From early in 2006 we will be working to ensure
that anyone who wishes to can contribute their view and I encourage
anyone with an interest to participate.” Other independent
members of the steering group include John Thurso MP and Iain Baikie a
physicist who runs KP Technology based in Wick.
2 December 05
New Plant Aids PFR Pond Clean-out
The decommissioning of Britain's Prototype Fast Reactor has entered a
new stage, with the start-up of a new £500,000 plant for cleaning out a
pond where fuel and other radioactive components were stored. The
first active run of the PFR ion exchange plant has been successfully
completed, proving the technology that will be used to clean radioactive
contamination from the water in the pond and make it safe to discharge to
sea.
25 November 05
Serial non-exec wins role at PA - Management Consultancy
Lady Barbara Thomas Judge holds a series of senior positions including
non-executive chairmanship of the UK Atomic Energy Authority where she is
leading the nuclear decommissioning programme and overseeing the
transformation of UKAEA as it prepares to compete with BNFL and other
rivals.
24 November 05
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATES HEAR
ABOUT UKAEA'S OPEN AND HONEST APPROACH TO STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN THE
DOUNREAY CLEAN-UP
 Dounreay
director Norman Harrison travelled to Brussels at the invitation of the
Nuclear Energy Agency's radioactive waste management committee, to discuss
stakeholder involvement in decommissioning of nuclear sites. A working
party consisted of delegates from Brussels, USA, France, Canada, Italy,
Sweden and Germany as well as Scotland. During the day-long meeting
Norman Harrison presented the UKAEA's process for public participation and
involvement. He described how, in 2002, UKAEA launched a process of
consulting stakeholders on projects where there was a significant
potential off-site environmental impact and where more than one feasible
option for managing the issue existed.
ENTERPRISE AND CULTURE COMMITTEE VISITS
DOUNREAY AS PART OF BUSINESS GROWTH INQUIRY
 Members of the Enterprise and Culture Committee of the Scottish Parliament
today visited Dounreay as part of their inquiry into business growth in
Scotland. Their fact-finding visit was hosted by Simon Middlemas, deputy
director of Dounreay, who was joined by representatives of the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, North
Highland College UHI and Caithness Contractors Consortium. The MSPs
discussed the site clean-up programme and its economic implications, met
trade union representatives and saw how the site is being decommissioned.
Tritium Users Group Meeting At Dounreay
 Dounreay recently hosted the fifth meeting of the Tritium User Group
(TUG), a forum for the exchange of information on topics of common
interest to the UK Tritium community. Representatives from UKAEA
Dounreay, UKAEA Windscale, AEA Technology, BNFL Magnox, NPL, Rutherford,
AWE Aldermaston, BNFL Sellafield, NNC, GE Healthcare, BNFL Chapelcross,
UKAEA (JET), MoD-DPA and RWE attended the meeting.
17 October 05
NEW PARTICLE DETECTION
TECHNOLOGY TRIAL STARTS
 A laboratory-based trial of different monitoring systems for detecting
particles on beaches near Dounreay has been launched at UKAEA’s Harwell
site. Alternative technologies offered by
six different companies from the UK and USA are being tested for their
sensitivity towards buried point sources on a simulated beach environment
over a period of seven weeks in September and October 2005.
17 October 05
New &
Existing Low Active Drain Connected
 As part of the enabling works required for the shaft isolation project,
approximately 150metres of the Dounreay’s low active drain (LAD) adjacent
to the shaft had to be diverted. At the end of September the tie-ins
operation to connect the old and new LAD were carried out and the system
commissioned. The LAD diversion required the creation of a new reinforced
concrete duct, some 158 metres long, containing stainless steel pipework
and secondary containment.
Over two days
approximately 30 UKAEA and contractor staff worked together to complete
many of the intricate parts of the project, linking the new to the
existing LAD. Due to the nature of the work staff were required to wear
airline suits and all operations were carried out within a radiological
containment called EREC (Environmental and Radiological Enclosure), which
was specially constructed by RWE Nukem using their Moducon system.
13 October 05
UKAEA SEEKS PLANNING PERMISSION TO ISOLATE DOUNREAY WASTE SHAFT
Shaft Saga Moves To Long Final Phases With
New Methods and Technology
The Dounreay team and contractors Ritchiie's
are pusing the boundaries of engineering and
scientific knowledge as they apply for
planning permission to surround the Shaft
where a variety of contaminated materials
were originally disposed of. the
technology is well known in the mining
industry but is being put to a new use in
the current situation. Once the huge jacket
consisting of the surrounding rock filled
with grouting materials is completed
retrieval of the contents of the shaft will
begin. Test bores are underway with
core samples near the shaft area giving
essential information on the surrounding
rock structure. Eventually the
material will be removed by remotely
controlled robots and trolleys. Local
people are being employed in all phases of
the work by Ritchie's who won the contract.
The platform construction phase will
commence in a few months after planning
permission is granted. The initial
phase may take up to three years with
possibly several years following to deal
with the materials from the shaft.
Conference Delegates Visit Dounreay
 Dounreay
recently played host to delegates from ICEM05 International Conference on
Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management. During their
visit, they were given a guided tour of site and WRACS before following on
to the facilities at Janetstown. The purpose of their visit was to gain
first hand experience of the site remediation and waste management being
undertaken at Dounreay. Pictured from left to right - Frank Dennis,
Environmental Project Manager and ICEM05 delegates
New
Cementation Waste Handling Facility
 The
construction of the new Dounreay Cementation Plant Waste Handling Facility
is continuing to make good progress. Balfour Beatty who are constructing
the waste-handling facility valued in excess of £10 million, has
constructed the shielded operational area and are now completing the
construction of drum transfer corridor. The drum transfer corridor is
approximately 20m long x 5m wide x 5m high and has concrete walls and roof
1200mm thick. This is due for completion by end of October 2005.
28 September 05
DOUNREAY CEMENTATION PLANT IS SHUT DOWN
UKAEA has notified regulators and the Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority of an incident that occurred on 26 September 2005 in the
Dounreay Cementation Plant, resulting in the shutdown of the facility.
The facility receives batches of dissolved spent fuel, or raffinate, from
the historical reprocessing of research reactor fuel. The liquor is
treated and solidified with cement in 500-litre drums inside a
heavily-shielded suite of cells. Once set, the drums are moved into
storage as conditioned intermediate-level waste.
At approximately 0430hrs
today, a batch of raffinate and a quantity of cement escaped onto the
floor of the shielded cell. It was detected promptly and the facility shut
down immediately. Initial results from radiation monitoring systems within
the plant confirmed the liquor has been contained inside the cell, in
accordance with its design function, ensuring there was no harm to staff
or the environment.
UKAEA has informed the
Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, the
Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority. UKAEA has convened an investigation into the circumstances and
the work required to restart the plant.
About the Cementation Plant
25 September 05
SEPA TAKES ENFORCEMENT
ACTION AGAINST DOUNREAY
On Friday 23 September 2005, the
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
served an enforcement notice on UKAEA
Dounreay after it breached conditions in its
authorisation to discharge gaseous
radioactive waste. A team of
inspectors from SEPA carried out a week long
audit of the site in June and found 28
problems.
Order served over
waste rule breach - The
Scotsman
16 September 05
DOUNREAY APPRENTICES ENTER INDUSTRY OF
CHANGE
The latest group of young people from Caithness to be trained at Dounreay
today received their indentures of apprenticeship and certificates of
training. The awards, covering apprenticeships in engineering and
technician disciplines, scientific training and secretarial skills, were
presented at a ceremony in the Pentland Hotel, Thurso. A total of 13
young people completed the training programmes. Twelve have now found
employment with contractors at Dounreay.
17 September 05
DOUNREAY CEMENTATION PLANT IS SHUT DOWN
UKAEA has notified regulators and the Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority of an incident that occurred today in the Dounreay Cementation
Plant, resulting in the shutdown of the facility. The facility receives
batches of dissolved spent fuel, or raffinate, from the historical
reprocessing of research reactor fuel. The liquor is treated and
solidified with cement in 500-litre drums inside a heavily-shielded suite
of cells. Once set, the drums are moved into storage as conditioned
intermediate-level waste. At approximately 0430hrs today, a batch of
raffinate and a quantity of cement escaped onto the floor of the shielded
cell. It was detected promptly and the facility shut down immediately.
Initial results from radiation monitoring systems within the plant
confirmed the liquor has been contained inside the cell, in accordance
with its design function, ensuring there was no harm to staff or the
environment. UKAEA has informed the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of
the Health and Safety Executive, the Scottish Environment Protection
Agency and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. UKAEA has convened an
investigation into the circumstances and the work required to restart the
plant.
15 September 05
UKAEA
ANNOUNCE CONSULTANCY CONTRACT FOR PROPOSED NEW LOW LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL
FACILITY
 UKAEA,
on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, has awarded a contract
to Jacobs Babtie as prime consultants for the next stage of the proposed
new low level waste disposal facility at Dounreay. The contract
involves working with UKAEA and stakeholders to prepare the planning
application which will be submitted to the Highland Council, applications
that will be required by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and
documents that may be required to comply with the terms of a nuclear site
licence. Jacobs Babtie will be assisted in producing these comprehensive
documents by Galson Sciences Ltd.
8 September 05
LAST FUEL EXPORT IS MILESTONE ON ROAD TO SITE CLEAN-UP
UKAEA has exported the last batch of nuclear fuel elements ever to be
manufactured at Dounreay. Eight elements have been delivered safely
to SCK of Belgium, bringing to an end the supply of nuclear fuel elements
made in Caithness to research reactors around the world.
Approximately 10,000 uranium elements were manufactured at Dounreay
between January 1957 and March 2004.
The elements powered research reactors in the UK and abroad that tested
how different materials performed when exposed to radiation. They also
produced isotopes for industrial and medical uses. Many of these
reactors, including the Dounreay Materials Test Reactor, have now closed
and UKAEA ceased fuel manufacturing at Dounreay last year. The fuel
fabrication plant, known as D1202, is now being cleaned out on behalf of
the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and is scheduled for earlydemolition
in 2007. The safe delivery to SCK of eight elements for its BR-2
reactor at Mol means that all the fuel manufactured in D1202 has now been
removed from the site.
17 August 05
NEW
IMPROVED ROV TESTED AGAINST DIVERS
FOR DETECTION OF BURIED RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES
 Dounreay’s
latest investigation into offshore particles will see an improved Remote
Operated Vehicle (ROV) put to test off the North coast where a comparison
will be made of its detection efficiency compared to divers, the use of
which is being phased out on safety grounds. The ROV, nicknamed “Trol”,
is operated for UKAEA by Wick- based firm Fathoms Limited which has been
awarded a two year contract. It is about the size of large washing
machine, moves over the seabed at a speed of just under one mile per hour,
and carries an ultrasound positioning system, two video cameras and a
large sodium iodide gamma ray detector which can detect radioactive
particles buried down to about 50 cm in depth.
2 August 05
NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY
Andrew Jackson has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and a member of the Board. Mr
Jackson joins from Alfred McAlpine plc where he is a senior financial
executive. He succeeds Paul White who is retiring from UKAEA. Andrew will
take up his post on 1 September 2005.
Caithness Glassblower Heads For USA Symposium
 Chicago,
where reputedly the wind constantly blows, should prepare to batten down
the hatches at the end of this month; it has been chosen as the venue for
this years Symposium of the American Scientific Glassblowers Society!
Ian Pearson, scientific
glassblower with UKAEA at Dounreay, has been invited to attend and present
a paper at the event, which will be attended by some 200 fellow
professionals from all over the world. Ian, who is chairman of the British
Society of Scientific Glassblowers, said it was an honour for both him,
and his employer, to receive this invitation. “It will be an opportunity
for me to experience the many different aspects of working with glass,
which in these times might be reducing in the amount used, but the
requirements are becoming more specialised,” said Ian.
27 May 05
£100M PROJECT TO TREAT AND REDUCE
HIGHEST HAZARD ON THE DOUNREAY SITE
UKAEA today set out its plans to make safe for future generations one
of the most hazardous legacies of the fast reactor experiment at Dounreay.
Following public participation in the options, UKAEA has confirmed its
intention to solidify liquid waste from the reprocessing of fast reactor
fuel using cement instead of glass. Almost half the radioactive waste
hazard at Dounreay is concentrated in this liquor and its conversion to a
form suitable for long-term storage or disposal as solid
intermediate-level waste is one of the highest priorities of the site
restoration plan. The waste will be transferred from underground storage
tanks to a new plant where it will be mixed with cement and set inside
500-litre drums that can be stored safely above-ground pending a national
policy for the long-term management of intermediate-level waste.
23 May 05
TOP SAFETY AWARD FOR UKAEA AND DOUNREAY
UKAEA as a whole and the UKAEA Dounreay site have both been awarded
the prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold
Medal for best practice in health and safety for five years running. This
is the second year that both have received this coveted award, reflecting
the importance placed on continually improving safety practices across
UKAEA.
12 May 05
Dounreay Ups Safety In Case Of
Earthquake
DFR Seismic Modification Milestone
 During
the construction of the renowned Dounreay dome back in the 1950's, there
was no requirement to make the giant sphere capable of withstanding an
earthquake. But fifty years later, this unusual necessity has earned the
Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) facility its first key milestone under the
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Modern standards for nuclear
establishments now require ‘quake-proofing’ for all new and existing
safety-related equipment and plant. This is tricky for facilities such as
the DFR Nak Disposal Plant, which is a mixture of both old and new plant
and is also contained inside the DFR sphere. The sphere itself has been
computer modelled and proven to withstand the once-in-ten-thousand years
chance of an earthquake. However, the plant contained within it needed a
more detailed assessment.
11 May 05
Royal seat of approval awarded to
George
 When George Linekar retired from Dounreay at the end of April his
colleagues presented him with a chair, or more correctly, a very special
chair! In the late fifties, the late Queen Mother visited the site, and to
ensure she had her customary post-lunch nap a club-style loungue chair was
specially acquired. Since then it has adorned a number of manager’s
offices. Having looked after the chair for the last number of years, it
was felt that both George and chair should remain together in retirement.
George, a metallurgist, commenced at Dounreay in 1965, and since then has
held a number of senior posts on site.
11 May 05
UKAEA TO SEEK ADDITIONAL WASTE STORAGE SPACE AT
DOUNREAY
UKAEA is proposing to build additional storage space at Dounreay for
solid low-level radioactive waste pending the availability of a new
disposal facility at the site. Extensive consultation carried out by
UKAEA recently identified the construction of a new disposal facility at
Dounreay as the Best Practicable Environmental Option for managing
low-level waste from the site clean-up. With any new disposal
facility unlikely to be available until 2011 at the earliest, and current
storage space due to reach capacity in 2006, UKAEA is seeking agreement
from regulators and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to extend the
existing store.
26 April 05
REMARKABLE FAMILY SERVICE - Pat McVey Retires
 When Pat McVey retired from UKAEA, Dounreay, in mid-April, he brought the
curtain down on a remarkable family contribution to UKAEA, an aggregate
total of almost one hundred and three years service. Pat served UKAEA for
forty-one years, having commenced in 1964, after spending three years in
the merchant navy. In October last year, his brother George retired having
completed forty-seven years service at Dounreay. During their early days
on site, the brothers were accompanied by their late father Jim, who arrived
at Dounreay in 1956 from his native Glasgow, and who retired in 1971.
26 April 05
SUMMARY OF RADIATION MONITORING
SURVEY OF DUNNET BEACH 2005
Report on the beach monitoring in the period up to 22 April 05.
19 April 05
Monitoring Of Beaches Leaflet
UKAEA have issued a leaflet for the public
regarding monitoring on Beaches in respect of particles.
19 April 05
GOVERNMENT GO-AHEAD FOR UKAEA'S
PLANS
TO CREATE A VIBRANT NEW BRITISH COMPANY
 Following a strategic review, undertaken jointly with government, the
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority has received the go-ahead from
Government for its plans to develop a vibrant British company to
compete for nuclear and non-nuclear business in the UK and overseas. Welcoming the decision, Chief
Executive, Dipesh Shah, said, "I am delighted that we have received
the Government's blessing for our plans to go for growth and income.
We can now press ahead with renewed confidence with our business
ambitions to grow beyond our existing UK sites and expand
internationally. "Over the past two years we have made great
strides in preparing for the introduction of the
Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
23 March 05
Radio Active Waste Plans Unveiled - BBC
The
Environment Agency has announced proposals for the UK Atomic Energy
Authority's (UKAEA) Windscale station, which is based at Sellafield.
The consultation period runs from 24 March until 30 June
18 March 05
DUNNET BEACH Update On Contaminated Stone
Find
UKAEA has published the results of tests
carried out on a contaminated stone
discovered during monitoring of the beach at
Dunnet on March 2. The tests are
inconclusive about the origin of the
caesium, but eliminate radioactive
deposition from the Chernobyl accident as a
source of the contamination. The tests
indicate the contamination it is not a
particle of the kind found near Dounreay.
18 March 05
UKAEA Will Assist Highland Council To Remove
Storm Rubbish At Dunnet
UKAEA has responded to a request for
assistance from Highland Council to help
repair storm damage and has agreed to
provide mechanical assistance to remove
large quantities of flotsam and jetsam from
the area.
18 March 05
UKAEA MEDIATION Moves To Reach Settlement
With Sandside
UKAEA has begun a process of mediation with
Magnohard Ltd, owner of the estate at
Sandside, with a view to reaching a positive
settlement of issues arising from the
detection and retrieval of radioactive
particles at Sandside beach. UKAEA regrets
the occurrence of particles at Sandside and
the historical practices that gave rise to
their release onto the seabed off Dounreay.
18 March 05
‘NEW’ COURT CASE Against Dounreay Untrue
A number of newspapers this week reported
that a new court case has been launched
against UKAEA Dounreay as a result of
historical waste management practices.
UKAEA understands that these reports stemmed
from Media Intelligence Partners Ltd, a
London-based lobby firm with strong links to
political organisations in the USA.
Enquiries by UKAEA have established that
no new, fresh proceedings have been
brought against UKAEA.
18 March 05
UKAEA Dounreay Beating The Drum As Party
Conference Season Gets Into Full Swing
 Dundee
To Dumfries - Some of Scotland's most senior
politicians were briefed on progress with decommissioning Dounreay when
they met up with a UKAEA and trade union team from Dounreay at the
Scottish Labour Party conference in Dundee
recently. First minister Jack
McConnell and other Labour MSP's called at
the stand for a few words. The
Dounreay team next headed for the
Conservative conference in Dumfries
17 March
05
MINISTER'S STATEMENT ON
RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES AT SANDSIDE
Answers to Parliamentary Questions about the
steps being taken to address radioactive particles detected and retrieved
from the beach at Sandside and their potential health effects have been
published. The answers by
Energy Minister Mike O'Brien reiterate previously-published advice from a
committee of independent experts that the chances of a member of the
public coming into contact with a radioactive particle on the beach at
Sandside Bay continue to be "extremely small".
16 March 05
Angus Ross Conservative Candidate Visit
 Angus
Ross, Westminster Conservative Party Representative for Caithness,
Sutherland & Easter Ross recently visited Dounreay. This was Mr Ross's
first visit to Dounreay during which he received a presentation on the
decommissioning of Dounreay followed by a tour of the site. He is pictured
here outside Dounreay Fast Reactor with his assistant David Peach (left).
Dounreay Local Liaison Committee - The Last Meeting
 "A Dounreay Local Liaison Committee is to
be formed, with the object of keeping local authorities and others
interested in local affairs informed of the progress of the work at
Dounreay and the measures being adopted to ensure the safety of the
countryside."
14 February 05
Retirements From Dounreay
  
20 January 05
UKAEA
SUBMITS EVIDENCE TO SCOTTISH AFFAIRS COMMITTEE INQUIRY
The UK Atomic Energy Authority has given evidence to the Scottish
Affairs Committee of MPs to assist its inquiry into aspects of
decommissioning the former experimental fast reactor establishment at
Dounreay. The committee is exploring the long-term employment
prospects for staff involved in decommissioning the site and the long-term
strategy for managing the radioactive wastes that arise from
decommissioning. It is also examining future energy sources in Scotland.
In its written submission, UKAEA underlines its commitment to continued
close working with organisations such as Caithness and Sutherland
Enterprise, North Highland College UHI and Highland Council to identify
opportunities for sustainable economic development. In the
short-term, this involves working together to maximise the economic
benefits to the area from a decommissioning programme which accounts for
one in five jobs locally and contributes an estimated £80 million to the
local economy annually.
10 January
05
Sodium
Disposal World Record For Dounreay
 The
sodium disposal plant at PFR, built at a cost of £17 million and which
became operational in March, 2004, has broken the world record for the
safe destruction of liquid metal. The total destroyed to date, 770 tonnes,
far exceeds the previous record of 633 tonnes, which was achieved in 2001
by EBR2, a nuclear complex in Idaho, USA. It also means that UKAEA has now
safely destroyed half of the hazardous metal left over from the fast
reactor programme.
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