Sizewell A demolition work approved

Thursday, 15 August 2024

"This is fantastic news," said Sizewell A Site Director Alan Walker. "I'd like to thank everyone involved in helping to deliver our mission to decommission Sizewell A site safely, securely and sustainably. The work brings benefits to the local economy and makes a considerable contribution towards achieving strategic NRS targets to reduce ageing buildings to ground level and remove redundant material."

Alan Cumming, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority group chief assurance and performance officer, added: "We are committed to decommissioning our sites safely, securely and sustainably - freeing up land which can then be reused to deliver benefits for the local community.

"Demolition of the turbine hall will be a tangible step forward in delivering our mission and I want to thank all those involved for their hard work in getting us to the stage and the incredible progress that has been made to far."

Wendy Heath, senior project manager said: "This is one of the largest programmes of work Sizewell A has seen for many years. It will result in a major skyline change for the community and clear an area the size of a professional football pitch for future use by March 2025."

She noted that the removal of all the redundant equipment from the turbine hall began last year and is expected to be completed by the end of this month. More than 5500 tonnes of metal has been safely taken out and recycled.

Sizewell A's two 210 MWe Magnox gas-cooled reactors operated from 1966 until 2006. Defuelling began in 2009, with fuel removed from the reactors placed in the site's used fuel storage ponds before being packaged in transport containers for shipment to the Sellafield complex for reprocessing. The final flask of fuel was shipped to Sellafield in August 2014. Sizewell A was declared completely fuel free in February 2015. The decommissioning milestone marked the removal of 99% of the radioactive hazard from the former Magnox nuclear power station.