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Thorp nuclear plant may close for years

Thorp nuclear plant may close for years The Guardian John Vidal 19 May 09 • Faulty reprocessing facility threatens UK atomic plans• Critics call for plug to be pulled on ‘white elephant’

The company that runs the Thorp nuclear reprocessing plant admitted that it may have to close for a number of years owing to a series of technical problems.

The huge £1.8bn plant at Sellafield imports spent nuclear fuel from around the world and returns it to countries as new reactor fuel. But a series of catastrophic technical failures with associated equipment means Thorp could be mothballed at a cost of millions of pounds.

Under strict orders from the government’s safety watchdog, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, the plant’s operators, Sellafield Ltd, is expected to have little option but to mothball the reprocessing plant for at least four years.

Closure of Thorp for any length of time could cost the company and government hundreds of millions of pounds and embarrass the resurgent nuclear industry,

Thorp nuclear plant may close for years | Environment | The Guardian

May 19, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized