A government decision to retain separated plutonium at the Sellafield site could lead to a significant investment in West Cumbria.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority group has welcomed the policy decision to immobilise the UK’s inventory of the substance which has arisen from large-scale reprocessing of spent fuel from both UK Magnox and AGR power stations as well as overseas energy utilities.
An NDA report in 2019 estimated the authority would hold an inventory of around 140 tonnes of separated plutonium by the time reprocessing finishes.
The decision will lead to a major programme on plutonium disposition – putting the UK’s plutonium ‘beyond reach’ – through reuse as Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX) in nuclear reactors or as an immobilised product.
The NDA says the next phase will be to seek approval for a major programme on plutonium disposition, ‘requiring a nuclear material processing plant and interim storage capability to be built at Sellafield, bringing major investment to the area and supporting thousands of skilled jobs for decades.’
“We welcome the Government’s policy decision on the future immobilisation of plutonium, paving the way for significant investment in West Cumbria,” David Peattie, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Group CEO, said. “This allows us to continue to deliver on our commitment to safely, securely, and sustainably deal with the UK’s civil nuclear legacy.
“It will open up opportunities in areas including research and development, project planning, construction, engineering, and operations.
“As well as generating thousands of jobs during construction, and hundreds of jobs in operation, the disposition programme will result in a significant boost to the regional supply chain and support investment in local infrastructure projects.”
The NDA Group says it will continue progressing research and development work to identify the preferred technology for immobilisation, converting the material to an even safer and more stable form ready for final disposal in a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).
“The decision to immobilise the material places Sellafield at the centre of the effort, working with the NDA, NWS and our partners including the supply chain, to create a solution that delivers maximum value for all of our stakeholders,” Euan Hutton, Sellafield Ltd CEO, said.
“The UK’s inventory of civil plutonium arose from the reprocessing of spent fuel undertaken over many decades. This was the process of taking used nuclear fuel and separating it into its component parts, one of which is plutonium which will remain radioactive and toxic for a considerable period of time.
“It is currently stored safely and securely at Sellafield, which is recognised as the UK’s centre of excellence for plutonium management.
“The policy decision follows substantial technical and economic analysis by the NDA group, which identified immobilisation as the option to best meet the Government’s objectives. Work will now continue on developing a suitable immobilisation solution to submit for Government approval to progress to the next phase.”
Mr Hutton said plutonium will continue to be stored in a suite of custom-built facilities at Sellafield that ensure its safety and security in line with regulatory requirements.
