Nuclear decommissioning is where nuclear sites are closed down, cleaned up, and cease to be operational.
The Nuclear Provision details how work will be completed to clean up 17 of the UKs largest sites, including Sellafield. Work will include decommissioning, dismantling buildings, removal of waste and remediation of land. The programme is set to last for around 120 years.
The process is costly, complex and lengthy, and involves removing used nuclear fuel from the reactor, which poses a significant safety hazard when not done correctly and in accordance with procedures.
Sellafield
Sellafield is one of the UK’s largest nuclear sites, but planned work to decommission it, in line with the government’s plans for energy security and net-zero targets, previously faced delays due to funding issues and budget cuts.
Unite, one of the world’s leading unions, expressed grave concerns regarding cost cutting within the Nuclear Decommissioning Agents budgets.
Unite stated that these measures put staff at great risk, and were a direct attack on the health and safety of personnel.
Budget cuts impacted staff at the UK-based Sellafield site, as well as 16 other Nuclear Decommissioning Agency-managed sites, which deal with nuclear waste and nuclear restoration.
Unite argued that budget restrictions are not fit for purpose, and called for the government to step in to ensure that workers are protected. The department for energy security made a pledge that workers and their health and safety was a top priority, and issued reassurances that any cost cutting measures would be transparent going forward.
Robotics and AI
Safety is the number one priority when decommissioning nuclear sites, and collaborations such as raico.org are leading the way with innovative technology and the use of AI and robotics, which eradicates the need to place humans in potentially unsafe environments. Sellafield Ltd is one of a number of organisations that form the RAICo collaborative effort.
By providing solutions that can be operated on a remote basis, decommissioning nuclear sites not only becomes safer, but also faster and more cost-effective.
