Scotland’s Deputy Environment Minister Allan Wilson recently visited
Dounreay to see how the site is being decommissioned.
He discussed the site restoration work
with senior management and trade union
representatives and toured the facilities at the 140-acre former
experimental reactor establishment.
Mr Wilson was briefed on the progress being made to dismantle the 180 or so
facilities that for many years had placed Scotland at the forefront of
international research and development of fast reactor technology.
He heard how the skills needed to decommission these facilities are
re-establishing Dounreay’s reputation as a centre of expertise, this time in
nuclear clean-up and environmental restoration.
Speaking at Dounreay Mr Wilson said: “The Scottish Executive is committed to
protecting and restoring our environment. The environmental restoration of
our industrial heritage is one of the most important challenges we face.
“Over the years, Dounreay has established itself at the forefront of
international research and development in fast reactor technology. It is
fitting that these skills are now being utilised in the decommissioning
process, enhancing the site's reputation as a centre of expertise.”
UKAEA site director Norman Harrison added: “Safely managing the legacy of
radioactive wastes from Dounreay's operational days and getting them into a
condition that makes the waste suitable for long-term storage or disposal is
a challenge that we are meeting with skill and innovation.
“The success of the decommissioning work carried out so far has generated
international interest in the skills of Scottish engineers,
environmentalists and companies involved in this work, and I was delighted
to be able to brief the Minister on the potential to export these skills to
other sites, in the UK and overseas, as more of the world's first generation
of nuclear technology is dismantled.”
|
