WAGR Decommissioning: The Transport of WAGR Heat Exchangers to Drigg Low Level Waste Repository

Abstract

The Windscale Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (WAGR) operated between 1963 and 1981 and was used as a prototype for experimental research and development related to the Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor programme. WAGR is now the UK's demonstration project for power reactor decommissioning. A major operation in the decommissioning of the WAGR was the removal of the four heat exchangers (REs) from their concrete bioshields inside the secondary containment sphere and transporting them to Drigg low level waste repository. The issues involved with the transport of the four heat exchangers are described, covering details of the heat exchangers themselves as a transport package. Preparation of the route along public roads is described along with details of the transport vehicles and transport operations.