Research reactor fuel fabrication plant

The fuel fabrication plant was the first of the "atomic factories" built at Dounreay in the 1950s to become operational, and played a crucial part in the United Kingdom’s fast reactor research programme.

It was built in 1956, commissioned and in operation by February 1957.

For the next 47 years, it used enriched uranium extracted from processing work in nearby chemical plants also being decommissioned, to manufacture fuel elements for reactors in the UK and abroad.

During the lifetime of the plant, in which it was in virtually constant operation, workers manufactured more than 10,000 fuel elements for MTR reactors in the UK (DIDO and PLUTO in Harwell and DMTR at Dounreay) and overseas – Hifar (Australia), Julich (Germany) and SAFARI (South Africa).

In the 1990s, the facility also manufactured targets for use in cancer treatments.

The last element was produced in March 2004. The facility immediately went into decommissioning and was completely demolished within four years. It was the 100th building at Dounreay to be demolished since decommissioning began. 

 

Click here to view the film of the demolition

 
 

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Operating the metal extrusion press

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Workers with the final element prior to closure of the plant on 31 March 2004

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The old casting line and fume hoods cleaned up and awaiting removal

Image: Fuel fabrication plant is demolished

Fuel fabrication plant is demolished