19 Jan (NucNet): The detailed emergency planning zone around the site of the former Dounreay prototype fast reactor in Scotland has been reduced from 5 to 1.15 kilometres.

Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) said on 8 January 2008 that the change reflected the lowering of the radiological hazard at Dounreay through progressive decommissioning.

The boundary of the zone reflects the worst-case radiation emergency that can be reasonably foreseen, which would result in potential exposure of people to five millisieverts (mSv) or more of radiation.

Previous assessments found these conditions could occur up to 5 kilometres from the site but the latest assessment revised this to 1.15 kilometres.

The number of households within the old 5-kilometre zone was over 200, whereas the number of households within the new zone is five.

DSRL said the average annual exposure to a member of the public from all sources of radiation is 2.2 mSv and the justification for a smaller zone had been accepted by the UK�s Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

Dounreay was the UK�s centre of fast reactor research and development from 1954 to 1994. Decommissioning of the site is scheduled to be completed by 2033.

In a separate announcement, DSRL said the local authority planning committee gave conditional planning on 13 January for an investment of 110 million pounds (161 million US dollars, 121 million euro) in new facilities for managing low-level radioactive waste.

The new facility is needed for the safe, long-term management up to 175,000 cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste from decommissioning work. Construction work is scheduled to begin in 2011. The plan is subject to final approval by the Scottish government.

Details of work under way at Dounreay are available on the DSRL web site (http://www.dounreay.com).

� by John Shepherd

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

Next Phase Of Dounreay Reactor Clean-out Under Way (World Nuclear Review No. 21, 26 May 2006)

Green Light For Dounreay Intermediate-Level Waste Facility (World Nuclear Review No. 4, 26 January 2007)

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