Lifetime strategy
CYM | 
ENG
The current preferred strategy for decommissioning Wylfa like all UK Magnox nuclear power stations is deferred site clearance, allowing for total site clearance around 100 years after cessation of generation. It minimises risk to workers, public and the environment, minimises waste volumes, is technically straight forward and makes financial sense.
Magnox Electric Ltd is applying its knowledge and expertise to accelerate the decommissioning work plan which doesn’t preclude a reduction in the 100-year period to total site clearance.
Wylfa is scheduled to continue generating electricity until 2010 and defuelling is planned to commence in the same year which will mark the start of the power station’s planned decommissioning programme.
The decommissioning plan at Wylfa
2005-2010 Electricity Generation
- Operate the power station safely and with due regard for the environment whilst maximising generation and income
- Continue to receive fuel from the Springfields fuel manufacturing site
- Prompt despatch of fuel flasks to Sellafield for irradiated fuel reprocessing
- Completion of maintenance activities while the station is operating
- Management of low level waste and despatch to the national low level waste repository in West Cumbria
- Treatment and storage of intermediate level waste on site
- Removal of non hazardous wastes in line with our ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ policy
- Early hazard reduction through the removal of asbestos, very low level waste oil and redundant active plant
- Preparatory work to ensure a seamless transition into decommissioning
- Production of the Post Operational and Defuelling Safety Case
- Modification of fuel handling equipment and enhancement of the fuel route to facilitate safe, rapid and reliable defuelling
2010-2012 Defuelling
- Removal of more than 49,248 irradiated fuel elements from the reactors and dry store cells and despatch to Sellafield for reprocessing
- Maintenance of plant and systems to support defuelling
- Isolation and segregation where necessary of redundant plant and systems
- Retrieval, processing and packaging of wastes
2012-2025 Care & Maintenance Preparations
- Removal of all plant and equipment associated with the fuelling machine and pile cap maintenance
- Deplanting, decontamination and demolition of dry store cells 4 and 5
- Sealing and containment within the safestore building of dry store cells 1, 2 and 3 Deplanting, decontamination and demolition of all active and non-active facilities
- Deplanting, removal of asbestos hazard and demolition of the turbine hall
- Decontamination of the effluent discharge line and construction of a new discharge line
- Removal of all cooling water system plant and equpiment
- Reactor buildings and service block deplanted and decontaminated, reduced in height, and placed in a passively and secure state
- Construction of a new low level waste management facility
- Construction of a new mobile effluent treatment plant
- Installation of a new electrical and C&I system
2025-2116 Care & Maintenance
- Site monitored for reactor conditions and security as the radioactivity inside the reactors naturally decays
- Radiological and environmental monitoring
- Regular inspection, including structural surveys, of site conditions and buildings and maintenance where necessary including reactor cladding replacement
- Land management and remediation
- Low level waste management and disposal
- Decommissioning of the neighbouring hydroelectric power station, Maentwrog – scheduled for 2086
2116-2125 Final Site Clearance
- Installation of reactor dismantling facilities
- Dismantling and demolition of all remaining buildings on site, including the reactor and service block
- Building, operation and subsequent demolition of a waste management facility and reactor dismantling facilities
- Land remediation and landscaping
- Site delicensed and made available for potential reuse
