The nuclear fuel reprocessing plant product store at Sellafield. (Photo: NDA)
The United Kingdom’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has announced that it will establish a Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub with the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield. The announcement follows a decision by the U.K. government in January to immobilize the country’s inventory of civil separated plutonium at the Sellafield nuclear site, mitigating the material’s long-term safety and security risks.
The NDA has committed a £5 million (about $6.3 million) investment in the Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub, which will fund around 20 Ph.D. and two postdoctoral researchers engaging in research to identify the preferred technology for immobilization. According to the NDA, immobilization of plutonium in a ceramic would make it suitable for disposal in a geologic disposal facility, putting it beyond reach.
The U.K.’s plutonium stockpile will continue to be stored in custom-built facilities at Sellafield while work continues on developing a suitable method of immobilization, the NDA added.
Key objectives: The Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub will be led by the University of Manchester’s Robert Harrison, who said that the university’s state-of-the-art facilities uniquely position it to successfully deliver the hub and develop future subject-matter experts in the field. Lewis Blackburn of the University of Sheffield will act as the hub’s co-lead.
According to the NDA, the hub’s key objectives include the following:
Innovative research—Conducting groundbreaking research to develop key ceramic and manufacturing technologies for safe and effective plutonium disposition.
Academic excellence—Fostering a collaborative environment that promotes academic excellence and innovation.
Future leaders—Training the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers and equipping them with the skills and knowledge to address future challenges in nuclear decommissioning.
Quote: “The hub will be central to developing the technical expertise and subject-matter experts we need to deliver the plutonium disposition strategy and continue to meet our commitment to safely, securely, and sustainably deal with the U.K.’s civil nuclear legacy,” said Rick Short, NDA research manager.
