16.9.1 United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, 1 the Windscale (later Sellafield) plant for reprocessing of Magnox fuel began in 1964 (1500t/year) and is expected to close when all Magnox fuel has been reprocessed around 2016. The thermal oxide reprocessing plant (THORP) accepts oxide fuel from gas-cooled and light-water reactors; it began operations in 1994 (900 t/year). As of early 2010, it had treated about 6000 tonnes of used fuel for overseas and domestic customers. Of this, 2300 tonnes was domestic used AGR fuel. A further 6600 tonnes arising to the end of the AGR operating lifetimes will need to be treated or stored, depending on the outcome of a review of used oxide fuel management strategy. Less than 700 tonnes of fuel from overseas customers remains to be reprocessed. It appears likely that Thorp will operate to 2020, according to the NDA’s revised strategy due to be finalized early in 2012 (Fig. 16.25).

Reprocessing activities at Sellafield are now undertaken by Sellafield Ltd on behalf of International Nuclear Services, which is owned by the NDA (Nuclear Decommissioning Authority).