{"id":86138,"date":"2020-12-03T08:49:49","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T08:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=86138"},"modified":"2020-12-03T08:49:49","modified_gmt":"2020-12-03T08:49:49","slug":"nuclear-clean-up-takes-shape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/nuclear-clean-up-takes-shape\/86138\/","title":{"rendered":"World\u2019s \u2018deepest nuclear clean-up\u2019 takes shape"},"content":{"rendered":"

Work is underway on a new project to support the decommissioning and restoration of Dounreay, described as \u2018the world\u2019s deepest nuclear clean-up\u2019<\/h2>\n

Graham<\/a> will be delivering the Civils and Structural works on behalf of Nuvia<\/a>, acting as subcontractor and an influential partner on the Dounreay scheme.<\/p>\n

The Dounreay Shaft in Caithness was originally constructed in 1956 as a means of removing waste from the Dounreay site liquid effluent discharge tunnel excavation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Shaft goes approximately 65m deep underground and was used to store radioactive waste until 1977.<\/p>\n

A connecting \u2018stub\u2019 tunnel linked the base of the Shaft to the effluent discharge tunnel. This was sealed in 1956 by the construction of a concrete plug to produce a watertight seal before the Shaft was then allowed to flood with groundwater.<\/p>\n

Disposals to the Shaft ended following an explosion occurred in May 1977 and the facility has been under care and surveillance ever since.<\/p>\n

Decommissioning and restoration<\/h3>\n

Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) is currently working to decommission<\/a> and restore the site.<\/p>\n

Part of this Programme is the D3300 Project, to retrieve, process and package waste from the Shaft to render it suitable for long-term storage and future disposal.<\/p>\n

During the project, new headworks will be constructed over the Shaft that will contain remote handling equipment to retrieve the solid and sludge waste.<\/p>\n

Peder Andreasen, contracts manager for Graham, said: \u201cWe\u2019re excited to be beginning work at this hugely important project at this historic nuclear clean-up scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur nuclear sector expertise and safety critical approach will be vital in the delivery of the ATW S&S scheme and enable us to safely prepare the shaft headworks and provide a secure enclosure by undertaking these hazardous and challenging works<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Graham will be delivering and supporting the following:<\/h3>\n