N-Base Briefing 413


N-Base Briefing 413
24th April 2004

ISSN 1478-4661

Tc-99 discharges cut

UK nuclear regulators announced this week approval for the TPP chemical process to reduce marine discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield by 90 per cent. Instead of being discharged into the Irish Sea the tc-99 will join Sellafield's intermediate waste stream. The news follows trials British Nuclear Fuels was forced to start last year by Government ministers.

Discharges of tc-99, which has a half-life of 211,300 years, were increasing until recently leading to widespread international protests, particularly from Ireland and Norway, both of which registered large increases of tc-99 along their coastlines.

The nuclear waste agency Nirex, has also issued a 'Letter of Comfort' confirming that the resulting radioactive waste and its packaging meets the criteria for inclusion in any future UK waste repository.

Seabed survey resumes

A team of divers from the Wick-based company Fathoms have resumed a seabed survey to try and recover radioactive contamination off Dounreay. Since the diving surveys started in 1997 a total of over 500 radioactive particles have been recovered.

Government support for BNFL

The UK Government has been holding talks with the Bush Administration to try and secure hundreds of millions of dollars for British Nuclear Fuels' US subsidiary. Fixed price contracts for BNFL to clean-up the Oak Ridge and Idaho nuclear complexes were signed in 1996 but costs have overrun by hundreds of millions of pounds. Tony Blair's chief of staff, Jonathon Powell, held discussions in Washington during the prime minister's recent visit to the USA. Reports suggest the Bush Administration is willing to offer BNFL up to £280 millions BNFL with a number of conditions.

'Close reactor'

The Green Party has called on Imperial College to close its research reactor at Silwood Park Reactor Centre in Ascot. They have warned that a serious accident at the reactor could devastate the surrounding residential area. Imperial College currently have an application to discharge waste from the plant out for consultation by the Environment Agency for England and Wales.

New chairman

The new chairman of British Nuclear Fuels is to be Mr Gordon Campbell, who is already a non-executive director of the company and part-time chairman of Babcock International.

RWMAC letter

Environment minister Elliot Morley has written to members of the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMAC) officially informing them that the government advisory body is to be 'put into abeyance' for two to three years while the new Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) decides on recommendations for the UK's nuclear waste management. Mr Morley said it would be wrong to have two advisory groups working on the same issue. After CoRWM gives its recommendations the government will review its whole advisory structure on radioactive waste. RWMAC has often been highly critical of Government waste policy.

Lightning grid

British Nuclear Fuels has just completed a project at Sellafield to protect the controversial B38 waste store from lightning strikes. Over two miles of cabling and a lightning protection grid have been installed on the store's roof.

Decommissioning review

The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee (RWMAC) has published its response to the Government's review of decommissioning policies for nuclear facilities in the UK. While welcoming many of the changes the advisory committee raises a number of concerns, especially over radioactive waste. Full details at www.defra.gov.uk/rwmac/rsa.htm

Report backs nuclear

A report from the Edinburgh-based 'think tank', the David Hume Institute, on energy supply in Scotland will recommend a return to nuclear power, rather than renewable energy, when it is presented this week to the Royal Society.