nuclear-news

Dounreay placed on ‘special measures’ over wide-ranging safety concerns

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 John O’Groat Journal By Iain Grant, 13 September 2024

An action plan has been drawn up by operators NRS to address the issues which include ageing, deteriorating plant, radioactive leaks and the storage of chemicals.

Among the problem areas is the condition of buildings in the prototype fast reactor being used to store drums of radioactive sodium.

An inspection by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), in April made grim reading for site management. It found significant corrosion and metal loss of structural steelwork in the turbine hall.

  It concluded “It was judged that the steam generator hall and generator transformer house are not adequate, as the licensee has failed to safely protect the drums against uncontrolled
degradation via air and moisture ingress.

“It is also judged that the licensee is not recognising when there is degradation in these areas.”

The issue first came to light following a probe into a minute leak of
radioactive tritium from a sodium drum in the turbine hall in November
2022. Its exposure to rainwater through a leaky roof was blamed for causing
the corrosion.

The inspection was one of a number carried out at Dounreay
in the spring and summer to receive an amber rating by ONS. Others revealed
some elderly electrical plant in a “degraded” state while Dounreay was
found to have breached the Control of Major Accident Hazards (CoMAH)
regulations by its stockpile of chemicals being over its set limit. A fire
safety inspection was generally positive but flagged up a “significant
shortfall” in assessment and control of sources of dangerous substances.

The inspector said: “It is my judgement that Dounreay do not currently
understand the totality of risk presented by dangerous substances on site
and therefore cannot provide adequate assurance as to the safety of
personnel on site.”

 John O’Groat Journal 13th Sept 2024

https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/dounreay-placed-on-special-measures-over-wide-ranging-safe-361023/

September 16, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | UK