Height of UK nuclear reactor to be cut in half in cleanup drive

The UK’s former Trawsfynydd nuclear power station, equipped with a 392 MWe Magnox reactor that operated from 1965 to 1991, is undergoing a major decommissioning project involving the reduction of its two main reactor buildings’ height from approximately 54 meters to 25 meters. This complex engineering effort, awarded to infrastructure company Costain under a $94 million contract by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), will remove around 15,000 cubic meters of concrete and brickwork. Following the height reduction, Costain will conduct civil and remedial works to stabilize the structures, preparing the site for further cleanup phases. Trawsfynydd has been designated as the ‘lead and learn’ facility for the UK’s Magnox reactor decommissioning program, meaning the techniques, safety measures, and data collected here will guide the dismantling of 10 other Magnox sites nationwide, contributing significantly to the