Massive Berkeley Nuclear Blower House Demolition Kicks Off 50 Years Early
Magnox is gearing up to launch a huge clean-up and demolition project at the Berkeley nuclear site. Four massive ‘blower house’ superstructures surrounding the two reactor buildings are set to be dismantled — decades ahead of schedule.
Decades-Old Plan Fast-Tracked
Ross McAllister, Magnox’s programme delivery director, revealed this is “one of the largest decommissioning projects Berkeley has seen in years.” Originally slated for the 2070s, the project has been brought forward by a staggering 50 years.
“It’s fantastic to deliver our mission better, faster and even safer,” said McAllister.
What Are The Blower Houses?
- The blower houses circulated gas to transfer heat through gigantic 310-tonne boilers.
- These boilers created steam to drive turbines and generate electricity.
- The last of these monstrous 15 boilers was shipped off to Sweden in 2013 for cleaning, smelting, and recycling.
The project includes emptying the buildings of residual low-level metallic waste, a full asbestos clean, then demolition. The entire operation is expected to take eight years — a massive stride in sustainably shutting down the Berkeley site.
£31m Contract and Team Effort
Altrad bagged a £30.8 million contract to handle design, asbestos removal, demolition, and construction work on the blower houses. They’ll have support from the Celadon alliance – including heavyweights like Veolia KDC Decommissioning Services, NSG Environmental, OBR Construction, Mammoet, and Cavendish Nuclear.
Kevin Williamson, Altrad’s General Manager for Magnox, said: “We’re thrilled to secure this major contract. The work includes retrieving and cleaning ductwork and steel, plus safely processing spring hangers in lubrication pits before demolition.”
Waste Management and Recycling Focus
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s operator, landed a £13.7 million contract to manage 2,400 tonnes of metallic waste. Carly Sutton, NWS’s WMS Consultant, explained:
“We’ll set up a safe, undercover waste handling compound at Berkeley for processing metal before it leaves site. Removing legacy metals cuts hazards and boosts environmental performance by recycling high-quality steel back into the market.”
Augean, a key subcontractor, is fronting the waste treatment with over 95% of metals decontaminated and recycled. Chris Hannon, Augean’s Head of Radioactive Waste Services, said:
“This is one of the largest metallic waste treatment projects in the UK in over a decade. It’s central to our commitment to deliver top environmental outcomes.”
The scale and speed of this decommissioning work signal a bold push to clean up one of the country’s iconic nuclear sites — years sooner than planned.
