Nuclear storage racks take first fuel

A space-saving nuclear storage rack has been installed at the Sellafield site in Cumbria

A nuclear storage facility has begun storing spent fuel in a new rack system.

Sellafield Ltd, in Cumbria, said the first deposits have been placed into a space-saving storage rack that would allow the site to store 50% more spent nuclear fuel.

It means the site could store all the fuel expected from the UK's currently operational nuclear power stations without the need to build a new storage pond, the company added.

In total,160 racks are to be manufactured to increase capacity from 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes.

The 63-can rack, installed in the Thorp (thermal oxide reprocessing plant) pond was needed because the UK no longer reprocesses spent fuel, but instead stores it under water prior to disposal, Sellafield Ltd said.

The racks are "16 years in the making", from concept design to manufacture, the company added.

The 63-can rack increases the nuclear storage capacity of the Thorp pond

The racks are being built by a consortium of manufacturers including Carlisle-based Bendalls Engineering, Workington's West Cumbria Engineering and Stoke-based Goodwin International.

They will manufacture 160 racks between them, Sellafield Ltd said, adding: "Another 340 racks will be needed in the future."

Transfers of fuel from old containers into the new racks started during the summer.

There were other alterations to the pond, including raising the pH level to avoid corrosion and installing new cooling capacity because fuel would be stored for longer than was originally intended.