| Chapelcross N-Plant Ceases Generation | | Print | |
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British Nuclear Group - the newly launched clean-up component of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) group - announced today the end of electricity generation from today at the UK's Chapelcross nuclear power plant. BNFL had made public in 2002 its decision that generation by the four nuclear units at Chapelcross would be phased out by March 2005. Unit one has remained out of service since August 2001, and today's announcement completes the process for the rest of the nuclear plant. British Nuclear Group said the decision - which in 2002 followed an economic review of the operation of the entire Magnox reactor fleet - means that both the company and the workforce can now concentrate fully on preparing for the next stages of the life of the Chapelcross site. The plant began electricity production in February 1959 and, when fully operational, its four Magnox reactors produced 194 megawatts of electricity. Site manager Dr Bob Clayton said: "We have now reached the position at Chapelcross where we are clear that continuing to deploy the resources needed to maintain generation from the three remaining - by modern standards - relatively small reactors at this site cannot be justified commercially. We intend to refocus this effort onto preparing for the defuelling and decommissioning phases of the station's life, making us very well prepared to deliver the priorities of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and give value to the taxpayer through safe, faster and cheaper clean-up." British Nuclear Group - which was launched last month - added that today's announcement does not affect the planned dates for the cessation of generation at the company's remaining operational sites. Currently these are Sizewell A (2006), Dungeness A (2006), Oldbury (2008) and Wylfa (2010). Source: British Nuclear Group |
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