The future of Dounreay-challenges and opportunities

Between 1958 and 1994, Dounreay was very successful in the research and development of fast reactor technology-demonstrating the principles and industrialization of the fast reactor with the Dounreay fast reactor (DFR) and the prototype fast reactor (PFR), and also completing the nuclear fuel cycle with plutonium bred in the PFR being returned to tile reactor as newfuel. The task now, for Dounreay, is the environmental restoration of the site. As the site licensee, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) must demonstrate that all facilities can he decommissioned safely and cost-effectively, that all radioactive wastes can be managed appropriately and that Dounreay site environment can be restored for other industrial uses. This paper discusses the technical challenges involved, which include: the decommissioning of DFR, PFR and the fuel plants, the retrieval of radioactive wastes from the intermediate-level waste (ILW) shaft and the ILW silo; finding a solution to deal with the presence of small radioactive particles in the marine environment, responding to the recent Health and Safety Executive| Scottish Environmental Protection Agency audit; maintaining UKAEAʹs open and honest policy; regaining and maintaining the support of the public; and succeeding in the companyʹs task of recruiting and retraining staff to carry out its programme of work. The paper concludes with a list of the benefits that will result from these challenges and opportunities.