This is an important step towards the site’s planned closure, as part of the NDA’s mission to clean up and decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear sites.

Magnox Ltd and its supply chain used innovative techniques and unique solutions to manage the waste, which mainly consists of pieces of the magnesium alloy cladding that surrounds Magnox nuclear fuel. They dissolved the material in acid and explored new options for disposing of the waste. The result is a reduction in the hazards on the site and shortening the FED treatment project by more than a year.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Chief Executive, David Peattie, said:

This is another really important milestone and a huge step forward in cleaning up and decommissioning the UK’s earliest nuclear sites.

Finding new solutions and techniques to deal with radioactive waste is helping us to do things more quickly and efficiently, making our sites safer sooner and providing best value for the taxpayer. I would like to thank everyone involved in delivering this successful programme.

65 tonnes of FED were treated in an on-site ‘dissolution plant’, which dissolved the waste in an acid, separated the radioactive materials and reduced the volume of the solid waste by more than 90 per cent.

Over half of the FED at Bradwell was re-classified as suitable for disposal as Low Level Waste (LLW) in a first-of-a-kind collaboration between Magnox Ltd, the Low Level Waste Repository Ltd (LLWR) and specialist contractor Tradebe-Inutec.

More than 140 tonnes of FED have now been sent to Tradebe-Inutec as LLW for treatment and eventual disposal at the Low Level Waste Repository in west Cumbria – saving around 2 years of dissolution operations.

Fuel Element Debris (FED)

Bob Nichols, Magnox Ltd’s Bradwell Site Closure Director, said:

I want to pay tribute to the Bradwell and wider Magnox workforce who have worked tirelessly to manage Bradwell’s FED inventory, which has proved to be one of the most challenging work programmes undertaken by Magnox.

We have shown we are able to work collaboratively, both with our supply chain and other parts of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority estate, to accelerate progress without compromising our high safety standards, which stands us in good stead as the site approaches Care and Maintenance.

A second major achievement at the site is the demolition of the used fuel ponds complex – which was used to cool and store spent nuclear fuel under water after it was taken out of the reactors when the site was generating electricity.

The redundant buildings were decontaminated over a 4 year period, which meant they could be taken down using conventional demolition methods. The remaining buildings on the site will now be enclosed in weatherproof cladding in preparation for Care and Maintenance.

Find out more about Bradwell nuclear site

UK’s Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart stated his excitement regarding his new appointment

21 June 2017

*Lucas says failing to take meaningful action on climate is a ‘near-criminal act of political vandalism’
*Lucas:”The overall picture is one of a Government which has run out of steam, and a Prime Minister who has lost authority”

Caroline Lucas, the co-leader of the Green Party, has slammed the ‘hollowed out’ Government’s ‘stunning lack of ambition’ in their Queen’s speech today.

In a Queen’s Speech dominated by Brexit the Government failed to propose any meaningful plan on tackling climate change, refused to end the NHS pay cap and proposed a clampdown on migration.

Caroline Lucas has tabled two amendments to the Queen’s Speech. The first calls for an Environmental Protection Act to strengthen green laws in the Brexit process, and the second seeks to immediately protect EU Nationals’ rights.

Responding to the Queen’s Speech, Lucas said:

“This hollowed out Government has produced a stunningly unambitious Queen’s speech at a time when Britain desperately needs a change of direction. Failing to propose any meaningful plans to tackle climate change is a near-criminal act of political vandalism, and refusing to give our hard pressed NHS workers the pay rise they deserve reveals a Government utterly out of touch. The proposed immigration clampdown sees an increasingly hardline Government doubling down on plans they know will wreck our economy.

“Though climate-deniers in the DUP might be celebrating this Queen’s Speech, it simply isn’t a serious programme of Government. This speech should have included an Environmental Protection Act and a guarantee for EU Nationals that their rights would be protected, but these basic Brexit laws were nowhere to be seen.

“While some proposals in the Queen’s speech deserve praise – in particular plans to help people suffering from mental health problems – the overall picture is one of a Government which has run out of steam, and a Prime Minister who has lost authority.”

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The start of work was officially launched today (Thursday June 22) at a ground breaking event with Economy Secretary Ken Skates, Qioptiq MD Peter White and representatives from Read Construction which secured the design and build contract.

The Welsh Government is investing £1.7m to build the 24,900 sq. ft. secure facility on land it owns adjacent to Qioptiq’s existing premises on St Asaph Business Park. The development is due to be completed by the end of the year when Qioptiq will lease the building and invest c£2m in fit out, security and IT systems, bringing the total investment to £3.7m.

Ken Skates said: 

“Winning this key contract was a huge coup for the company and for Wales and reflects the expertise of its highly skilled workforce. It’s great to see work is now underway as this expansion will create on-going economic benefits for the region and secure the long term sustainable future of this advanced manufacturing company in Wales.

“Excelitas’ Qioptiq is a key Anchor company, a major employer in North Wales and one of the most innovative and dynamic businesses in Wales. The Welsh Government supported Qioptiq’s successful bid from the early pre-qualification stage and our continued support and investment in these new facilities will ensure the company has the capacity it needs to deliver such a significant contract.”

Under the six year MoD contract Qioptiq will be the sole strategic supplier for the MoD’s entire fleet of Surveillance and Target Acquisition equipment – it will supply and maintain more than 280,000 items of highly sensitive optical equipment.

Qioptiq MD Peter White said 

“A contract like this provides security and allows us to invest in the infrastructure and our people because we can take a long-term view. This in turn helps the local economy and our supply chain.”

He went on to say: 

“Sometimes you can take for granted the sense of community that we have at Qioptiq. When customers visit, they always comment on the passion and dedication that the workforce shows and that is an important factor in winning contracts such as this.”

Read Construction aim to ensure maximum spend within the local area through the appointment of local design team members, suppliers and subcontractors and will also be providing training opportunities for local people.

Dawid Cloete, Construction Director, said: 

“We are delighted to be delivering this significant project for the region, in conjunction with Welsh Government and Qioptiq. Throughout the project we will endeavour to promote local employment opportunities and deliver added value through the employment of a local supply chain.”