Date set for final clean-up

Dounreay’s new operators are contracted to have the site levelled by September 14, 2023.

The date was revealed yesterday by Roger Hardy, head of the new 11-strong strong management team installed by engineering giants Babcock.

Babcock led the consortium which a month ago secured the contract to manage the remainder of the clean-up of the defunct atomic plant.

No exact date was released at that time for when the work had to be completed.

Mr Hardy, managing director of site licence company DSRL, said yesterday: “September 14, 2023, is the date in the contract.

“That's when all the redundant facilities need to be flattened and the waste sorted, segregated and made safe for the long term.”

Describing it as “a big ask”, Mr Hardy said: “My team's been delighted so far with how everyone on the site has responded to the challenge.

“No one seems hugely surprised by what we think is achievable and I do detect genuine enthusiasm for some of the approaches we're proposing to adopt.”

Mr Hardy said last month’s destruction of the bulk liquid metal coolant at the sphereshaped Dounreay Fast Reactor was a major clean-up milestone.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is underwriting the site’s clean-up with annual funding of £150million.