History made as final fuel leaves iconic nuclear plant
Defueling operations are complete at Sellafield鈥檚 Calder Hall.
皇冠体育app Charge floor in Calder Hall - back in the 50s and now
It means the world鈥檚 first full-scale nuclear power station is empty of fuel for the first time since the 1950s.
皇冠体育app achievement marks an important milestone in the decommissioning of Sellafield.
It also means the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority鈥檚 Magnox Operating Programme is a step closer to completion.
皇冠体育app opening of Calder Hall by the Queen in 1956 sparked national celebration.
Hailed as the dawn of the atomic age, it made Britain a world leader in the civil nuclear industry.
When the station was switched on, nearby Workington became the first town in the world to receive heat, light, and power from atomic energy.
Calder Hall鈥檚 Magnox design was the template for Britain鈥檚 first generation of nuclear power stations and the technology was exported around the world.
皇冠体育app station provided carbon-free electricity for 47 years. It stopped generating power in 2003 and defueling began in 2011.
Stuart Latham, head of remediation for Sellafield Ltd, said:
This is a truly iconic moment.
Calder Hall was the birthplace of the civil nuclear industry. It inspired the world and put our site at the forefront of the atomic age.
Completing the defueling programme is an important moment for Sellafield.
皇冠体育app defueling team have completed the task safely and professionally and have a made a huge contribution to our mission.
Removing fuel from Calder Hall鈥檚 4 reactors was a complex task.
A total of 38,953 spent fuel rods had to be carefully retrieved from the station鈥檚 4 reactors.
皇冠体育app same machines that were used to load fuel into the reactors during its operational life were used to pull it out.
Once removed, the fuel was transferred in shielded flasks to Sellafield鈥檚 Fuel Handling Plant.
After being cooled in a storage pond, its casings are removed and the rod taken to Sellafield鈥檚 Magnox Reprocessing Plant to be reprocessed. This extracts the reusable uranium and plutonium from the fuel.
Calder Hall鈥檚 reactor buildings will now be placed into a state known as 鈥榗are and maintenance鈥�. In due course they will be fully decommissioned and demolished.
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