Fuel Cycle Area Laboratories
The main chemical, analytical and metallurgical laboratories which supported the work of the facilities on site were located in the fuel cycle area.
Building the laboratory complex was completed in 1957 and, for the next 40 years, the laboratories were the site of intensive operations. During the 1980s in particular, they were involved in many technological and scientific innovations.
Following the shut down of the fast reactor programme in 1988, many of the laboratories became redundant, and are now in the process of being cleaned out and dismantled.
Decommissioning activities to date:
- 27% of total laboratory floor area decommissioned (over 850m2)
- clean out of Laboratory 120, the ‘Hotspur’ chemical hot cell
- clean out of Laboratory 75, the largest heavily shielded cell in the complex
- clean up and refurbishment of Laboratories 94 and 95 for use as office space.
Working in an air-fed suit
Completing the strip-out of the 'Hotspur' laboratory, Lab 120
A worker in an airline suit dismantling a glovebox
.jpg&width=85&height=68)
