Radioactive sludge handling plant ready at Sellafield 06 June 2014

A new £240 million sludge packaging plant, built at Sellafield to handle radioactive waste from one of the most hazardous decommissioning projects in the UK, has now been handed over.

The first generation Magnox Storage Pond (FGMSP) handled 27,000 tonnes of nuclear fuel over its lifetime and is now being decommissioned.

There is up to 1,500 cubic metres of radioactive sludge left in the 60-year-old nuclear pond, which will be pumped to the new SPP.

"We're totally focused on cleaning up the Sellafield site, and reducing the risk and hazards associated with the legacy nuclear plants," states Jack Devine, chief decommissioning officer.

"Some of this history isn't pretty and the FGMSP poses a raft of technical and safety challenges, but we won't shy away from these and completion of the SPP is a great example of our drive to make Sellafield safer sooner."

Operations will now take the SPP through final trials before it starts to receive sludge towards the end of the year.

At the heart of SPP are three enormous stainless steel buffer storage vessels – each the volume of seven double decker buses – to hold the sludge.


Each of the three vessels was brought to the Sellafield site in 11 sections and then welded together on site before being slid into the reinforced concrete building.

Project manager Karl Mason says that the welding of each vessel involved more than 2,000 metres of weld run, which was caried out 99% right first time. All welds were then radiographed to ensure the required integrity and that there will be no leaks.

"Finishing off a large complex project like SPP is always a challenge and it's been all hands on deck to complete the work to the high standards and quality required to enable the facility to be handed over to the FGMSP," states Mason.

"We've had good support from our main contractors Doosan Babcock and Balfour Beatty to deliver the project," he continues.

"The build has not been without its challenges, in particular lifting and installing the 31-metre long, 50-tonne pipebridge in a congested area surrounded by nuclear plants."

Mason says this was one of the most technically challenging crane lifts ever performed at Sellafield.

"Space was extremely tight, the load was heavy and awkward, and the consequences of failure didn't bear thinking about... But it was done and it was done safely."

Brian Tinham

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