Case studies: Nuclear Materials strategic theme
Updated 2 October 2023
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Overview
Our strategy defines our approach to dealing with the inventory of uranics and plutonium currently stored on some of our sites. These nuclear materials are by-products from different phases of the fuel cycle, either manufacturing or reprocessing.
All nuclear materials must be managed safely and securely, by either converting them into new fuel or immobilising and storing them until a permanent UK disposal facility is available. All of our plutonium is stored at Sellafield. Our uranium is located at a number of our sites and we are continuing to consolidate it at sites which we consider are best suited to its management. For more information on the types of nuclear materials we manage, see our Strategy document.
Our nuclear materials work is separated into 10 strategic outcomes that we must deliver, outlined below.
| Plutonium | |||||||||
| Group key target | Activity | 2023 % complete | Sellafield | Magnox | Dounreay | NWS | NTS | Capenhurst | Springfields |
| 16 | All plutonium produced | 100 | X | ||||||
| 17 | All plutonium consolidated | 100 | X | X | X | ||||
| 18 | A: All plutonium repacked in long-term storage | 0 | X | ||||||
| 18 | B: All cans not suitable for extended storage repackaged | 52 | X | ||||||
| 19 | All plutonium in interim storage | 0 | X | ||||||
| 20 | All plutonium reused or disposed | 0 | X | X | |||||
| Uranics | |||||||||
| 21 | All uranium produced | 100 | X | ||||||
| 22 | All uranium consolidated | 82 | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| 23 | All uranium treated | 4 | X | X | |||||
| 24 | All uranium in interim storage | 61 | X | X | |||||
| 25 | All uranium reused or disposed | 3 | X | X | X |
Uranium consolidation programme Summary
Approximately 70,000 tonnes of uranium, in various forms, have been generated as a legacy of the UK’s civil nuclear programme which the NDA is responsible for safely managing. Currently, 81% of this uranic material has now been consolidated at the Capenhurst site in Cheshire, where it is safely stored pending a decision on future use or disposition.
Uranium consolidation programme
Case study
Reprocessing spent nuclear fuel separates uranium, plutonium and other fission products. Large quantities, approximately 70,000 tonnes of uranium, in various forms, have been generated as a legacy of the UK’s civil nuclear programme. The NDA is responsible for safely managing this inventory of uranic material.
81% of this uranic material has now been consolidated at the Capenhurst site in Cheshire, where it is safely stored pending a decision on future use or disposition.
Approximately 2,900 tonnes of uranium still need to be consolidated:
• 2,000 tonnes in the form of uranium hexafluoride at Springfields fuel manufacturing site in Lancashire
• 200 tonnes of uranium produced from reprocessing operations at Sellafield
• The remainder is held in various sites across the NDA group
Good progress continues to be made as part of the consolidation programme with over 100 tonnes of uranic material consolidated from across the NDA group to Capenhurst in 2022, including ongoing monitoring and assessment to ensure the material continues to be stored safely.