Magnox has dispatched the final flask of spent fuel from Wylfa Site for reprocessing at Sellafield in Cumbria, marking the end of defuelling operations at all of the UK’s first generation nuclear reactors
Reaching the end of defuelling is a huge achievement for the twin-reactor site and its staff, who have worked tirelessly to remove the 87,890 fuel elements from the site in Anglesey, North Wales. The elements, which measure 43 inches in length, would stretch for 17-and-a-half miles if placed end to end.
The final shipment marks the end of an era for both the site, meaning that more than 99% of the total radioactivity has now been removed, as well as for Magnox, the company.
Stuart Law, Wylfa Site Director, said:
Wylfa Site, the biggest and last Magnox site to be built in the UK, operated safely from 1972 until 2015 and generated 232 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity – enough to power 1.1 million homes per year for 44 years.
This achievement enables Wylfa to move into its decommissioning phase, and allows Magnox and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), who owns the site, to progress the clean-up of the UK’s civil nuclear legacy safely, securely and cost-effectively.
Gwen Parry-Jones, Magnox CEO, added:
Staff were joined by representatives from across the NDA Group to see the last flask depart to Valley railhead.
Chris Connelly, Chief Operating Officer, Direct Rail Services, (DRS) commented:
Wylfa Site will now refocus its highly skilled team on decommissioning activities, including a mix of conventional and radiological projects to further reduce hazards on site.