THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOBILE PLANTS FOR THE SOLIDIFICATION OF WET WASTESARISING AT UK NUCLEAR-POWER STATIONS

The operation of all the UK nuclear power stations gives rise to wet r adioactive wastes in the form of filter backwash sludges and ion excha nge resins. In the late 1980s the CEGB reviewed its strategy for deali ng with these wastes and concluded that mobile, or transportable, soli dification plants offered significant benefits compared with the alter native of constructing fixed installations at each of its then 13 stat ions. This strategy was carried forward by Nuclear Electric and is now the declared strategy of Magnox Electric. This paper summarizes the p erceived benefits of using mobile plants, and reports the progress to date in the implementation of the strategy.