Post Operational Clean Out

For most of its existence, the main business focus of the Sellafield site in west Cumbria has been nuclear reprocessing. Reprocessing activities at Sellafield are due to come to an end over the next two years, and preparations will begin to transition into a Post Operational Clean Out (POCO) phase.

POCO is the process that takes place when a nuclear plant has reached the end of its operating life and is the final phase in a plant’s operating life before decommissioning begins.

The aim of POCO at Sellafield is to reduce the risk and hazard in a facility by safely removing the nuclear and chemotoxic inventory and, ultimately, reducing the lifetime costs of the redundant plants.

Sellafield would like to explore:

Access

• Alternative cell and vessel access.
• Remote handling and navigation techniques.
• Reduced human intervention.

Characterisation

• Deployment of innovative technologies for visual, physical and radiological characterisation.
• Material identification – solids (which may be loose or adhered), solvents and engrained activity.
• The location and assessment of radiation dose i.e. ‘hot spots’

Cleaning

• The use of new reagents to aid dissolution of insoluble materials and deposits contained in tanks.
• Alternative techniques to mobilise solids, solvents, adhered and engrained material.

Transferring

• The use of retrieval and disposal tools, and techniques.
• In-situ storage and grouting applications.
• Shielding and containment technologies.

Please download the challenge statement for a full description of challenge aims and opportunities.