AN interim facility to contain nuclear waste at the Hinkley Point A site near Bridgwater is now almost ready for use.

Members of the local Site Stakeholders Group (SSG) were among the final visitors to the site which will house 'concrete boxes' to securely store nuclear waste until a geological disposal facility becomes available in the UK. 

Even though over 99% of the radioactivity leaves the site when the spent nuclear fuel is removed, some intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW) remains and needs to be stored safely on site.

Once a disposal facility is available, the boxes will be hoisted out of the storage room by a crane and box harness installed as part of the new facilities.

SSG Chair Leigh Redman and Vice Chair Mervyn Brown were given a tour of the site, visiting the Gabion Wall, HPA School as well as the interim storage facility (ISF).

Site Director, Kirandeep Basra-Steele gave a presentation to the visitors to provide an update on the new brand, Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) – the new name for the Magnox fleet of reactors.

Following the visit, Cllr Leigh Redman said: “As chair of the Hinkley Site Stakeholders Group (SSG), it was a real pleasure to go to site - to be able to see the work being done across the site was great, it will help us update the SSG.

“Seeing a near final interim storage facility (ISF) was impressive - being some of the last people inside before the skips go in will be a memory for the future.

“The Hinkley School reinforced my belief that there is a chance for a long career on site, ceasing generation was the end of one phase and this is the start of the next phase.

"The work HPA are doing to support new apprentices and re-training staff is going to benefit local communities and, the more we can do to promote this, the more it will help build and support the workforce.

“With Hinkley Point B (HPB) defueling and one day being part of the new Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), the process of bringing together A&B stations helps demonstrate the focus on the future – by investing in workforce, assets, communities, sites, and surrounding landscapes.”

The SSG is a standing forum for communications between the Nuclear Decommissioning agency (NDA), Operators, Environmental Agency (EA) & Office for Nuclear regulation (ONR).

Cllr Redman added: “As Chair, I want our meetings to be open to all, and all are welcome. We have members from local councils, objectors, and individuals.

"Our meetings are six monthly - it is in the interests of the operators, the regulators, and not least the host community itself to aim for an inclusive approach to scrutinising the work of the nuclear industry, and its regulators.”