Dounreay Materials Test Reactor
The Dounreay Materials Test Reactor was the first operational reactor in Scotland. It was constructed to test the effects of irradiation on metals. It began operating in 1958.
The reactor was contained in a steel pressure vessel, and had a thermal output of 25MWt. It used enriched uranium fuel clad in aluminium, and the coolant was heavy water.
The reactor was served by a number of ancillary buildings, including a cooling circuit and towers, a fuel pond, post-irradiation examination (PIE) cells, workshops, laboratories, an active handling bay and administrative offices.
The reactor was shut down in 1969 and is now in its final stage of decommissioning.
Decommissioning milestones:
- 1969 - Stage 1 decommissioning began
- 1971 - Stage 1 decommissioning completed
- 1971 - DMTR put into passive care and maintenance programme
- 1999 - Reactor stage 2 decommissioning began
- 2003 - Reactor stage 2 decommissioning completed
- 2006 - Workshops, laboratories and administration buildings demolished
- 2006 - Decommissioning of fuel pond and cells commenced
- 2007 - Fuel pond cleaned up and liquor removed
The reactor is now under a further period of care and maintenance, pending the final stage of decommissioning. It is scheduled for final demolition in 2015. The total cost of the project will be in the region of £15M.
During this period of care and maintenance, a series of extensive surveys are being carried out on the reactor block. These include core sampling of the bioshield and reactor vessel and internal camera inspections. Decommissioning of the adjacent fuel pond, used to store spent fuel until the 1990s, is also underway. It has now been cleaned out, the water drained and the stainless steel liner removed.
DMTR under construction
Demolition of DMTR administration buildings in March 2006
DMTR pond before decommissioning commenced
Workers in protective clothing decontaminate the empty pond
