Sizewell A demolition gets the go-ahead
14 August 2024
Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), a company owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in the United Kingdom, has been given planning consent to demolish the turbine hall and electrical annexe at the Sizewell A Nuclear Power Plant site.
The ‘deplant’ team that carried out the removal of the site’s equipment.(PHOTO: NRS)
Alan Walker, NRS Site Director for Sizewell A, said: “This is fantastic news. I’d like to thank everyone involved in helping to deliver our mission to decommission Sizewell A site safely, securely and sustainably.
“The work brings benefits to the local economy and makes a considerable contribution towards achieving strategic NRS targets to reduce ageing buildings to ground level and remove redundant material.”
Demolition specialist Erith Contractors, which was appointed to the project as its principal contractor in July of 2022, will carry out the demolition by explosive means, with the date for the blowdown expected to be announced later this month.
Ashley Notman, Erith Project Manager, said: “We’ve carried out extensive enabling works to get ready for the demolition to start in August.
“These include removing scaffolding and hazardous materials and de-planting major items of mechanical/electrical generating plant and equipment.”
Erith has already removed the plant’s interntal equipment and components. (PHOTO: NRS)
Speaking about its plan to conduct a controlled blast, Ashley revealed: “We worked closely with NRS and the Office of Nuclear Regulation to provide the justification to allow the use of targeted specialist explosive demolition to weaken the large concrete plinths the turbines stood on.
“This assists the overall programme of works by reducing the duration of traditional mechanical demolition methods by about 40% and noise pollution.”
According to Wendy Heath, Senior Project Manager at NRS, the upcoming demolition phase will be one of the largest programmes of works Sizewell A has seen for many years.
Illustrating the size and scale of the Sizewell A turbine hall basement. (PHOTO: NRS)
Wendy said: “It will result in a major skyline change for the community and clear an area the size of a professional football pitch for future use by March 2025.
“We began removing all the redundant equipment from the turbine hall last year and expect to complete this in August ready for the demolition stage. Over 5,500 tonnes of metal have been safely taken out – that’s more than the weight of two Blackpool towers!
“The waste has been recycled on the metals market and is expected to generate an income of between £3 – £4.5 million (US$3.8 - $5.7 million),” she added.
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