The intermediate level waste (ILW) store at the Trawsfynydd site in Wales has officially opened. The opening of the £20 million store marks “a significant milestone in the journey towards decommissioning” according to Phil Sprague, Trawsfynydd site director.
Construction of Trawsfynydd ILW store, began in May 2006 and the construction phase was completed March 2008. The store can hold up to 368 concrete ‘overpacks’ and 2444, drums containing ILW.
Trawsfynydd Site, which is managed by Magnox North on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), is well advanced down the road of decommissioning and hazard reduction.
Trawsfynydd site director, Dr Phil Sprague, said: “The completion of such a major project – on schedule, within budget and without a single lost time accident – is testament to the excellent work and commitment of both Magnox North staff and our specialist contractors.”
The store was built using over 32,000 tonnes of concrete; it is 94m long, 34m wide and 19m high. Packages will be received and inspected before being dispatched to an appropriate storage area using a series of cranes and remote handling devices.
99% of the radioactive hazard was removed from site in 1995 when the last of the high-level waste (fuel) was despatched to Sellafield for reprocessing. 43% of Trawsfynydd’s radioactive waste volume – accounting for 67% of the radioactivity remaining on site – has already been packaged and is ready to be transferred into the store. Dan Gould, a spokesman for Magnox North told NEI: “we hope to have put all the packages – which have already been filled – in the store by around June/July next year.”
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