Thursday 20 August 2015

Fuel emptied from UK’s disused nuclear reactor

Fuel emptied from UK’s disused nuclear reactor

Fuel from the first reactor of a disused nuclear power plant in Gloucestershire has been emptied.

The Oldbury plant stopped generating electricity in 2012.

Its first reactor began producing power in 1968 and operated for more than 44 years.

At the start of defuelling, the reactor held nearly 26,000 fuel elements, each measuring more than a metre in length which, if placed end to end, would stretch 17.5 miles, site owner Magnox claims.

The other reactor is currently 85% defuelled and due to be completed in October.

When all the fuel has been shipped, the site will have removed 99% of its radioactive hazard, the company claims.

Site Director Mike Heaton added: “This is yet another milestone in the life of the site and we will continue to press ahead to complete defuelling the reactors by the end of the year.

“Our aim is to ship all the remaining fuel to Sellafield by the early part of next year."

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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