Themes

This theme addresses the UK’s spent nuclear fuel inventory, and the preferred options for disposal.  This includes the retrieval of fuel from current storage facilities and the repackaging options available. The theme is concerned with Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR), Magnox and other so-called ‘Exotic’ spent fuels, and its goal is to increase knowledge and mechanistic understanding of the processes involved during management.

This theme addresses the challenge presented by the UK’s civil plutonium inventory.  Plutonium is a bi-product of reprocessing spent fuel received from the UK’s fleet of nuclear power generators, and there are approximately 125 tonnes of Pu in interim storage in the UK.  However, no decision has yet to be made regarding its final treatment and disposition.

This theme addresses the clean-up of the UK’s biggest safety and security threat; the Sellafield legacy ponds and silos (LP&S).  The LP&S care and maintenance programme currently costs the UK tax payer approximately £70 million per yearto maintain their basic condition.

This theme addresses the challenge of ageing nuclear infrastructure, and how to ensure the continued safety of the workforce involved in nuclear decommissioning and management. The aim is to develop reliable systems for nuclear infrastructure characterisation, restoration and preservation.