Trawsfynydd Site is hosting public engagement events, as well as an online exhibition, to seek feedback on possible options for decommissioning of the site’s ponds complex
We are asking for your views on one of biggest projects the site will complete as it prepares to decommission the ponds complex, a collection of 38 buildings constructed more than 50 years ago to process and dispatch spent fuel from the reactors and undertake waste storage and processing operations.
No decisions have yet been taken - as part of preparatory work to decommission the ponds complex, we have engaged in robust conversations with our communities for the past seven years.
We are committed to ensuring our plans are informed by the opinions and views of our stakeholders, and we will continue these conversations with them as we progress sustainable options for decommissioning at Trawsfynydd.
You can take part in our engagement by visiting our online exhibition here.
The original plan for decommissioning the ponds complex was to remove all radioactivity above levels of regulatory limits from the structures for off-site disposal, and then to demolish to ground level and backfill any voids with new material, which would be brought into the site from elsewhere.
After trialling new regulatory guidance developed by the three UK environment agencies, which allows operators like Magnox to consider, with stakeholders, the best option for disposing of lightly contaminated radioactive wastes, leaving some of these structures in place is considered a viable option for the site.
We are seeking your views on this option for decommissioning the complex, which would still leave the below ground structure in-situ but instead back-fill the void with suitable rubble from the demolition of the above ground structure, prior to topping the area with a concrete cap to enable reuse of the land to support further decommissioning of the site.
The original plan for decommissioning the ponds complex was to remove all radioactivity above levels of regulatory limits from the structures for off-site disposal, and then to demolish to ground level and backfill any voids with new material, which would be brought into the site from elsewhere.
After trialling new regulatory guidance developed by the three UK environment agencies, which allows operators like Magnox to consider, with stakeholders, the best option for disposing of lightly contaminated radioactive wastes, leaving some of these structures in place is considered a viable option for the site.
We are seeking your views on this option for decommissioning the complex, which would still leave the below ground structure in-situ but instead back-fill the void with suitable rubble from the demolition of the above ground structure, prior to topping the area with a concrete cap to enable reuse of the land to support further decommissioning of the site.
We believe the benefits of this approach are:
reduced health and safety risks during decommissioning
reduced environmental impact from issues such as diminished lorry movements
reduced worker and public dose during decommissioning
significant cost savings for the UK taxpayer
Have Your Say
You can take part in our engagement by visiting our online exhibition here.
And you can leave us feedback on our proposals here.
You can attend one of our in-person drop-in sessions:
Trawsfynydd Public Hall LL41 4RW Monday 10 July 15:00 – 20:00
Blaenau Ffestiniog y Ganolfan LL41 3UF Tuesday 11 July 15:00 – 20:00
Penrhyndeudraeth Memorial Hall LL48 6LP Wednesday 12 July 15:00 – 20:00
Or you can visit our unstaffed exhibitions at local libraries:
Porthmadog Library LL49 9HX 10 to 17 July
Dolgellau Library LL40 2YF 17 to 24 July
Harlech Library and Institute LL46 2SW 24 to 31 July
Bala library LL23 7RU 31 July to 7 August
You can find out more about Trawsfynydd Site here.
What Will We Do With Your Feedback?
Since 2016 we have undertaken extensive engagement with the Trawsfynydd Site Stakeholder Group (SSG) on the new guidance and how it could be applied at the site. The group is made up of representatives of the local community and interested groups.
We have taken on board feedback from the group in our work to develop options for decommissioning the ponds complex, within the context of the regulatory requirements, taking into account factors that our communities have identified as important to them during decommissioning.
We are committed to continuing to listen to your views and would very much welcome your feedback, as the site progresses its decommissioning journey.
No decisions have yet been taken, and there will be further opportunities to share your views in the coming years.