Feature projects
A programme of major construction projects are planned to provide facilities for receipt, conditioning and disposal of low level waste, allowing the safe and effective management of the UK’s LLW in the short, medium and long term.
In the short term
the Vault 8 contingency project will provide temporary storage facilities to bridge the gap between Vault 8 becoming full (December 2008) and Vault 9 being ready to accept containers (July 2009).
In the medium term
Vault 9 storage project will provide 100,000m3 of storage space from the Summer of 2009, it will be situated directly south of Vaults 8.We will begin accepting bulk material to assist in capping of vaults and trench areas. It is anticipated that this will be carried out utilising existing rail facilities but that additional infrastructure will be required to transport cap materials around the site.
In the long term
Subsequent vaults (modular vaults) are planned as part of an integrated work programme including disposal operations and capping of the consented area.
It is anticipated that the first of the modular vaults will be available from 2014 with additional vaults on a rolling construction programme extending to 2048. This is subject to the relevant authorisations and planning consents being granted.
Key phases
