JGC were awarded the contract to undertake the decommissioning of the Dounreay Fast Reactor Charge Machines and Canning Station. This equipment was utilised for charging and discharging fuel element in the Dounreay Fast Reactor. As the plant is undergoing decommissioning, these items of plant were redundant and their disposal would give much needed space for required process plants.

In completing this contract, the following activities were undertaken;

• External Radiological assessment of the plant and initial decontamination works. This works included coring of lead shielding to assess internal radiological conditions.
• Intrusive Remote Visual Inspections (RVI) to assess liquid metal contamination levels.
• Removal of external redundant equipment from the assemblies.
• Removal of intrusive redundant equipment from the machines. This works was undertaken utilising purged glovebags due to the radiological/liquid metal contaminants.
• Removal of lead shielding where practicable to reduce the overall weight of the equipment.
• Design, manufacture and test a handling system for the safe tilting and subsequent removal of the machines from the DFR.
• Design of shielded HEPA vacuum equipment for the safe decontamination of radiologically contaminated liquid metal oxide residues.
• Development of cold and hot cutting techniques for the dismantling and size reduction of radiologically contaminated equipment.
• Waste packaging and assessment.
• Erection and commissioning of radiological containments for active works.
• Remediation of area on completion of works including installation of purpose designed load bearing floor areas.

This challenging decommissioning project was completed well within estimated budgets and programme timescales.