Europe’s centre of decommissioning excellence
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August / September 2016
Monumental
move for
reactor relic
. . . see page 5 for more
IN THIS ISSUE:
New column:
UnPhiltered
3
Analysing our
safety
4
Ambassadors
inspire students
Two hazards from Dounreay's
past are now history.
The last of the liquid metal
coolant from the reactor has
been destroyed, and the
Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR)
raffinate has been cemented
into drums, making it safe for
future generations.
13
Dounreay
energises exhibition
18
Read both stories on centre pages
Follow us on social media
Running for success
at the castle
20
2
D O U N R E AY N E W S
NATIONAL WOMEN
In ENGINEERING DAY
23 June 2016
news round-up
Nucleus archive
on show
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) held a
visit to the new state of the art nuclear archive facility.
The visit included a site tour of the
Nucleus Archive, presentations in
Mackay's Hotel and a visit to the
Caithness Archive in the Carnegie
Library.
The NDA was delighted to
welcome Lady Janet Balfour
and Sue Connell, both nonexecutive directors of the NDA
Archives Ltd board. The board is
ultimately responsible for
Nucleus, and works in
partnership with the NDA. It was
their first time visiting the site and
they were very impressed with the
progress and were keen to meet
with local stakeholders whilst in
the county.
More than 47,000
people viewed our
photos on social media
Send your stories to
the editor at:
[email protected]
Construction of Nucleus archive in Wick
NDA Archives Ltd Managing
Director, Simon Tucker, chaired
the afternoon presentations with
stakeholders. Other speakers
included: Sally Cooper of
Morrison's, Alasdair Galbraith of
Restore and Angus Wilson of
architects Reiach and Hall.
Anna MacConnell, NDA
Stakeholder Relations and socioeconomics Manager said: “The
board were incredibly impressed
with the progress on site and
delighted to meet local
stakeholders. It was a great
opportunity for them to see the
Caithness Archive before they
move to Nucleus.”
Stakeholder presentations at Mackay’s Hotel
Nuclear
Decommissioning
Authority
August / September 2016
Caithness archive in Carnegie library
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news round-up
D O U N R E AY N E W S
3
Leadership event
Welcome to my new Dounreay News column,
where I will aim to provide a clear view about
our priorities, where I think we are doing well
and where we need to focus to improve.
More than 200 leaders from
across the site gathered during
July to support our aim of
working together as One
Dounreay team.
There was plenty of challenge
and lots of positive
contributions. It was inspiring to
see the pride and commitment
that exists within our team.
Everyone who attended made
personal pledges. My
commitment was to be a leader
that listens and is connected.
Please hold me to it and, as we
hold the next series of staff talks
and plant visits, I welcome your
feedback on how we are doing.
If you made a pledge, discuss it
with your colleagues and see if
they can help you deliver it. If
you weren't there, think about
what you can do to support your
colleagues as part of a united
One Dounreay team.
this year but with it comes
responsibility. We still have to
find significant efficiency
savings and everyone can play
a part in making that happen.
The team needs to demonstrate
flexibility and come up with new
and innovative ideas.
I want to highlight two significant
achievements you can read
more about in this edition. The
destruction of Dounreay Fast
Reactor (DFR) raffinate,
together with the removal of
NaK from DFR, represents two
of the biggest hazard reduction
successes in recent times. Both
were able to happen because
different areas came together to
deliver as One Dounreay. Well
done to all involved.
Despite that success, our safety
performance is not where we
want it to be. Too many people
are still being hurt. A large
proportion of injuries occur
away from the front line, in car
parks and walking around site.
Please look after yourself and
your colleagues to ensure our
whole team goes home safe
every day.
FU
EL
S
SHA
FT
&
SI
L
O
It is crucial that we take the
positive attitude from those
events forward. Our programme
has been through a big period
of change and we are delivering
our largest and most varied
scope of work to date. We
received a positive funding
outcome from the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority for
More than 200 people attended two leadership events in
July. The focus was working together as One Dounreay.
Here's a few snaps taken at the event hosted at the Weigh
Inn hotel, Thurso.
Phil Craig
Managing Director
August / September 2016
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4
news round-up
D O U N R E AY N E W S
Where Interesting results
in the from injury analysis
world?
The Dounreay Improvement Team (DIT) analysed the personal
injuries received last year, with interesting results.
The results show everyone on site
has a role to play in reducing the
amount of injuries each year.
The team looked at the causes of
the injuries: lack of spatial
awareness; failure to follow
procedures; and wearing wrong
or inappropriate personal
protective equipment (PPE).
Ella Feist sent in a photo of
her visit to Jerome, a former
ghost town in Arizona State
in US.
She is pictured with a copy
of Dounreay News in front of
the United Verde Mining Pit,
which is about 300 feet
deep, and the remains of the
mining operations,
including mine shafts
extending 4,200 feet below
the ground.
Jerome was built on
Cleopatra Hill, about 100
miles north of Phoenix. The
town was known for its
valuable gold, silver and
copper mines in the late
1800s and early 1900s. The
discovery of gold attracted
miners, gamblers, and bad
boys, and Jerome became
known as the "Wickedest
Town in the West". Today it
has been restored and is a
thriving tourist attraction,
and a US National Historic
Site.
There was a small number of
injuries caused by failure to follow
procedure and not wearing
appropriate PPE.
The analysis also discovered
clear peaks in the number of
injuries received in the winter
months, and a smaller peak
suggesting more injuries occur
between the hours of 10 am and
12 pm on Mondays and
Tuesdays.
The team will focus on a
campaign to promote and
improve spatial awareness
across the site.
The data was also split into three
activities: office based; work
based; and moving around site
(including accessing the site,
walking between buildings or
walking within buildings).
The main cause of injury was lack
of spatial awareness. The number
of injuries sustained whilst
“walking around” was almost as
high as work based injuries, with
the majority of people receiving
minor cuts and bruises. Hand
injuries are the most common
work related injury.
DIT has also recently carried
out a review of Second Nature
Observation in the Workplace
(SNOW) conversations.
The SNOWs were raised in last
year's first quarter and
compared to the same period
this year.
We are raising more SNOWS –
499 in 2016, compared with
266 in 2015.
The findings show that SNOWs
are being raised to record
positive and negative
behaviours.
The objective was to look at the
SNOWs, where they were
August / September 2016
raised, common themes, and
t o
m a k e
s o m e
recommendations for
improvements based on the
key findings.
The top three themes for
reactors were:
• housekeeping and
maintenance
• communication and
signage
• PPE
The top three themes for site
were:
• culture
• procedures
• PPE
Some examples of site PPE use
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news round-up
D O U N R E AY N E W S
5
Monumental move
for reactor relic
After taking pride of place in the foyer of Dounreay's Prototype Fast
Reactor (PFR) for almost fifty years, the commemorative granite stone
table has found a new home.
One Sunday in June, the
inscribed stone table was lifted
out of the former reactor building
and taken through to the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority's
(NDA) nuclear archive in Wick
and placed in storage ready for
the new building to be opened
early next year.
Dounreay Heritage Officer,
James Gunn, said: “The table
was commissioned for the official
opening ceremony of PFR in June
1966, where the first turf was cut
in front of the old farm cottages
that have since been demolished.
“Preserving our industrial
heritage for future generations to
enjoy is a crucial part of our
decommissioning programme.”
PFR carved stone symbolises the
pioneering nature of the work
done at Dounreay and its
important part in the history of the
nuclear industry worldwide.
“It also marks an important
chapter in the history of
Caithness. It is fitting that the
carving will stay in the county and
be given pride of place at the
entrance to Nucleus, the NDA
and Caithness Archives.”
Nucleus will become the single
facility to collect and store
relevant records from all the civil
nuclear sites in the UK. The
archive will be accessible to the
i n d u s t r y, f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l
research and to the public. Many
records will also be digitised.
Anna MacConnell, NDA's
Stakeholder Relations and Socio
Economic Manager, said: “The
August / September 2016
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6
D O U N R E AY N E W S
news round-up
New camera provides clear
images of bowels of reactor
An off the shelf CCTV camera is providing crystal clear images from the
depths of Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR).
Fifty years on from the
construction of PFR, the reactor
decommissioning team is
viewing footage that will enable it
to pull apart the innards of the
second and last fast reactor to be
built in the UK.
“ T h e n a t u r e o f t h e
decommissioning work at
Dounreay gives both our young
and experienced engineers the
opportunity to put their innovative
skills and knowledge into
practice.”
The £50 camera will provide the
project team with information for
dismantling the plant and prepare
it to move forward with the
decommissioning programme.
Ken Heider, Reactors Project
Director said: “The reactor
dismantling project is critical to
the decommissioning of PFR.
Calder Bain, Senior Design
Engineer, said: “We are fifty years
on from the decision to build PFR
and innovation has been the key
to its success.
“There is a continual requirement
for inventive methods to
dismantle a complex nuclear
reactor.
“We need to use lateral thinking
and unique ideas to design and
build the necessary equipment to
safely take apart the plant and
remove the reactor vessel.
“The use of simple off the shelf
equipment like this is a credit to all
staff and contractors involved.”
“The reactor dismantling project is critical to the decommissioning of PFR”
August / September 2016
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news round-up
D O U N R E AY N E W S
7
Paving the way for
site improvements
A new team is implementing a programme of improvements across the site.
Dounreay Managing Director Phil
Craig established a roads, paths
and car parks team earlier this
year.
Its remit is to identify and put in
place improvements required on
and off site in these areas. They
want to make the most impact to
high pedestrian areas around site
within an appropriate budget.
The team consists of Steve
Beckitt, Peter Swanson and
Gordon McIntosh. It works in
parallel with the site traffic
management working group
which Gordon also chairs.
paths and roads open and safe
for staff to use.
The second task was to inspect
all areas of site. This is now
complete and a two year
programme of improvements
already underway.
Gordon said: “The work to be
progressed this summer and next
will improve areas of degradation
in some of the site's more highly
used pedestrian and traffic
routes.
“These targeted improvements
will hopefully aid the reduction in
slips, trips and falls.”
Its first task was to establish a
winter programme for keeping the
The programme for this year:
• repairing twenty concrete panels in the west car park;
• repairing the path and cycle ways between the car
parks and site entrances;
• installation of drop kerbs at busy crossing points and
painting of other kerbs;
• A section of new footpath and delineated walkway at
Stores;
• road marking renewal on and off site.
The site's in-house joinery team, led by supervisor
Stephen Munro, has renewed the roof coverings on two
roofs for D1206. This will ensure that the building will
reach its designed life.
The roofing system adopted is the tried and tested Liquid
Plastics system, which has proved capable of
withstanding the extreme weather conditions in
Caithness.
Three joiners from the team, Kenny Forbes, Wayne
Mowat and Brian Harland, are pictured working on the
roof.
August / September 2016
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8
news round-up
D O U N R E AY N E W S
In the spotlight:
RPPE workshop
Decommissioning work by operators in airline suits often grabs the
limelight, but it is entirely dependent on the team that keeps the supply of
specialised protective clothing and equipment coming.
At Dounreay, the radiological
personal protective equipment
(RPPE) workshop supplies the
site with items of protective
equipment such as airline suits,
respirators, chemical suits and
tornado hoods.
The RPPE workshop is based in
D1313. The large room is filled
with storage shelves and tables at
which the equipment is
inspected, tested and orders
prepared. To one side is a small
room used exclusively for
maintaining and testing
respirators.
A team of eight people monitor,
clean, maintain and test all the
protective equipment used in
decommissioning the
radiological areas on site.
The site uses a one-piece airline
suit. Due to the use of new types
of material the airline suits have
become lighter over the years.
The team tests each airline suit
individually, visually inspecting
and then inflating them to the
pressures at which they will be
used. Once tested, they are restored in boxes ready for
distribution.
Lack of space in the workshop
and radiological requirements
mean that the team is spread out
over three areas.
Over the barrier in the FCA, the
team uses one of the rooms in
D1215 to monitor respirators and
other equipment that has been
used in radiologically
contaminated areas.
Two members of the team work
here on a rota basis, swabbing
and monitoring the used
respirators. Anything
contaminated or soiled is
returned to the plant to be
cleaned or disposed of.
Once monitored, bags of used
respirators are sent across to
August / September 2016
D1313 to the respirator cleaning
room. Here, they are washed in a
large industrial dishwasher more
often seen in the catering
industry.
The wet respirators are put into
drying cabinets, before being
returned to the RPPE workshop
where they undergo further
reassurance monitoring and are
tested on a metal 'head' to ensure
that they do not leak.
Respirator canisters or filters are
tested on a purpose-made
machine before being fitted to a
facepiece. Finally they are
bagged up and stored in
moveable racked shelving ready
to be sent out again.
The site holds a stock of around
7,000 respirators including the
N10 emergency arrangements
respirators, which the RPPE team
maintains. It also holds
emergency masks, stored in
triangular plastic boxes, used by
the CNC and for asbestos work.
Airline hoses are made by the
team from scratch. The usual
length is 30ft, but it can produce
up to 120ft in length, which is
needed for some plants. It can be
physically demanding and takes
two men to wrestle a 120ft hose
into a coil for safe transportation
to the plant.
Every piece of equipment is
numbered and entered by hand
into a system. Orders are made
up daily and delivered to the
facilities.
The RPPE workshop order book
is driven by the site's
decommissioning programme,
and also by emergency
arrangements. After the site's
a n n u a l e m e r g e n c y
demonstration exercise, the team
checks all the N10 respirators
and re-seals the cabinets.
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features
RPPE workshop
D O U N R E AY N E W S
9
ConGRADulations
to our new arrivals
Ten new graduates started their careers
at Dounreay as the company’s graduate
development scheme entered it’s
second year.
Applications to the scheme soared after the success of last year's
first ever graduate intake, with more than 200 applications
received. Candidates were put through their paces at a two-day
assessment centre before the successful few were chosen.
The new starters will follow a comprehensive induction process
and get an opportunity to meet with senior managers before
beginning work in their new roles.
Phil Craig, Managing Director, said: “Graduates have a critical
part to play in decommissioning Dounreay. Our new recruits are
enthusiastic and bring a new set of skills to help us progress
towards the site's interim end state. It is also good news for our
local area and I am now looking forward to welcoming a further
ten apprentices later in the year.”
"We test every piece of equipment as if we
were going to wear and use it" said Ian
Smith - RPPE Workshop Facility Supervisor
August / September 2016
One of the new graduates, Michael Tait, grew up in nearby
Barrock and studied Chemical Engineering at Heriot - Watt
University. He said: “I am delighted to be one of the ten people
joining the team this year and I look forward to gaining first-hand
engineering experience on one of Europe's toughest
decommissioning projects. Dounreay is a major employer in our
area, so I know this is a great starting point to build my career.”
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10 D O U N R E A Y N E W S
features
Cementing our success
Although completion of the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) raffinate immobilisation
was an important milestone in the reduction of Dounreay's liquid hazard, the
Dounreay Cementation Plant (DCP) and D1208 teams took the event in their stride.
Their eyes are now focused on
the forthcoming engineering
modifications and enhancements
required to prepare the DCP for
the cementation of the PFR
raffinate.
supported by the D1208 facility
team of shift operators who will
work alongside their DCP
counterparts on the
modifications, explained Shift
Supervisor Gary Angus.
Pictured below from left in front of
the process cells are Graham
Whitson, Stewart Fulton
(behind), Colin Cormack, Allan
Elder (behind), and Jimmy S
Gunn.
However, the D1208 plant also
houses the site surveillance
control room which receives
alarms from across the site
during silent hours. This includes
areas within the reactors, Waste,
FCA and off-site facilities such as
the low level waste vaults. As a
result there is always additional
work to be done ensuring alarms
and anomalies are responded to
as necessary.
They spoke to Dounreay News
about the assistance they had
received from personnel from
other areas of the site, such as
electricians, instrument
mechanics and health physics
surveyors, many of whom put
themselves out to ensure that the
team had the support it needed.
Waste Director Bruce Covert
confirmed: “The support from the
Fuel Cycle Area (FCA)
maintenance team ensured that
the work remained on schedule
with minimal interruptions.
Power dips have been known to
cause a lot of work as the
operators have to re-start the
ventilation systems in active
plants and ensure that the
statutory environmental
monitoring systems remain
operational.
The site emergency contact
phone number (x3670) is also
manned 24/7 here. The shift team
provides an emergency response
function across the site and is
trained to man the emergency
control centres in D9995 as part
of the shift role.
diuranate (ADU) floc, a
precipitate formed from the
conditioning of the medium active
cycle raffinate of the PFR fuel
reprocessing. It contains mostly
uranium as well as other
impurities and waste products.
Operationally, from the D1208
control room, the Shift Supervisor
has the capability to discharge
the LLLETP low level liquid
effluent tanks to the sea if
necessary.
Over the years the ADU
precipitate solids have settled
and become similar to a wet
slurry. Historically, the liquid
(known as supernate) was
separated off and discharged to
the low active drain.
While the DCP modifications are
underway, the team will work on
enhancements within D1208
such as improvements to the
remote handling liquor sampling
stations.
Authority to Operate (ATO) Holder
Alistair Ross went on to explain
that in addition to safely
managing the remaining PFR
raffinate, the facility also holds
116 cubic metres of ammonium-
However, the revised process will
now allow this liquor and the
solids to be dissolved in nitric acid
and then conditioned so that it
can be cemented into drums.
This will be done in parallel with
the PFR raffinate immobilisation,
making this hazardous remnant
of Dounreay's reprocessing past
safe for long term storage.
“This is another great example of
the “one Dounreay” way of
performing work safely. A great
team effort.”
Nigel Lowe, NDA Head of
Programme for Dounreay and
Magnox said “This is a great
milestone in a long line of
Dounreay milestones.
“I always think it ironic that
cementation, a process dating
back to ancient Rome, plays such
an integral part in a modern
industry such as ours.
“Well done to all on your
achievement.”
DCP will now undergo a series of
modifications to enable the PFR
raffinate to be safely
encapsulated. This work will be
August / September 2016
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features
D O U N R E AY N E W S
11
DFR gets the NaK
The destruction of one of the highest hazards remaining in the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority (NDA) estate has been completed at
Dounreay.
Around 68 tonnes of highly
active liquid metal coolant,
known as NaK, has been
removed from the from the
site's Dounreay Fast Reactor
(DFR).
The material, which removed
heat from the reactor fuel, has
been processed in a special
plant during a 10 year
campaign that has seen it
converted to salty water.
Dounreay Reactors Director,
Ke n H e i d e r , s a i d : “ T h e
Dounreay team, working in
partnership with contractors,
has worked extremely hard to
prepare for the safe removal
and processing of NaK. It has
been a painstaking chemical
process to convert the alkali
metal to salty water, before
removing the radioactive
caesium-137 using ion
exchange columns. Safe
completion of this project is
testament to the commitment
and enthusiasm of all
involved.”
This was a particularly
complex and technical
challenge because the
coolant could explode when
exposed to air and water. The
material had to be kept under
a blanket of nitrogen gas and
the work carried out remotely
using a highly skilled
workforce.
August / September 2016
Pete Lutwyche, NDA Chief
Operating Officer, added:
“This was one of the highest
radiological hazards in the
NDA estate.
many challenges to complete
the NaK removal from the hot
traps and keep the NaK
Disposal Plant operating
safely.
“The difficulty of this task can't
be understated, and I
welcome the news that this
work is complete. Everyone
involved should be proud of
their achievement.”
This is the latest achievement
at Dounreay as work
progresses on one of
Europe's most complex
closure programmes. The
team is now set to clean
around nine kilometres of
pipework, ensuring all traces
of NaK have been removed,
while also preparing for the
removal of around 1,000
breeder elements still in the
reactor vessel.
John Smith, DFR Senior
Project Manager, said "this
achievement reflects the
significant efforts of many
people throughout Dounreay
over the past 10 years. In
particular, the NaK operators
and project team overcame
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12 D O U N R E A Y N E W S
Unit 4 on the way
Dounreay is investing in new software to
replace SAP in the next financial year.
David Harrop, who is managing
the SAP replacement project,
answers questions on what we
can expect to see as SAP is
replaced.
What is the new product
called?
The product is called Unit4
Business World (U4BW). It was
formerly called Agresso and is
commonly known as Agresso by
most people.
Why are we replacing our
SAP system now?
Our existing SAP Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) system
was installed in 2004 to operate
across the wider UKAEA estate.
In 2009, the service operation was
moved over to CSC to support.
The existing software is no longer
supported by SAP and any failure
poses a risk to ongoing business
operations.
Our new solution is provided by
U4BW, one of the UK's leading
ERP providers to the public
sector.
A key benefit of Unit4 will be the
ability to share experiences from
existing customers such as
Magnox and Culham, and
hopefully deliver a simpler and
more accessible replacement.
What is an ERP system?
ERP systems integrate data and
processes within organisations
using one database with multiple
modules (for example budgeting,
payroll, financial accounting,
purchasing, human resources
and inventory management).
Because they use one database
they offer a unique way to
automate and simplify
processes, provide online
capabilities to employees and
vendors and support data
security.
When will the new system be
available?
Our plan is to transition to the new
system in April 2017. Before this,
early access will be provided to
selected users in late summer,
before formal testing which will
take place from November
onwards.
What does this mean for me?
Implementing a new ERP system
will inevitably lead to changes in
working practices and
procedures, most notably across
t h e Fi n a n c e, P r o c u r em en t ,
Human Resources and Stores
teams.
features
Game on
The World Highland Games Heavy Events
Championship was held at Halkirk Highland
Games last weekend. More than 3,000
spectators turned out to cheer the
heavyweights on.
Dounreay was very proud to be one of this year's local
sponsors. We supported Scott Rider who fought off ten
athletes to be crowned 2016 champion, beating the ground
record for the 16lb light ball, despite challenging weather
conditions.
As a project team we are
conscious that considerable
focus will be required to ensure all
members of Dounreay impacted
by the project are supported
throughout this transition.
Our intention will be to
communicate the training plan to
impacted staff in early autumn,
with training taking place from
January to March 2017.
Alongside this we will be holding
other communication events to
ensure maximum visibility and
awareness of the proposed
changes.
What are the next steps?
Our objective is to complete the
design of the new system by
August with an early pilot system
delivered in late summer. This will
allow us to start familiarisation of
the new system as well as provide
early testing of the core business
processes.
Clocking off
We said goodbye to Donnie Sutherland
in July when he retired after 33 years on site.
He is pictured with some of his team mates from the
Dounreay cementation plant and D1208.
Waste Director Bruce Covert said: “We gave him a clock as
a gift on behalf of the site to thank him for his long service.
“We wish him well for a long and happy retirement.”
Formal user testing is planned in
November to be completed by
January, allowing us to focus
attention on training and
operational readiness for the
planned go-live in April 2017.
August / September 2016
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features
D O U N R E AY N E W S
13
Dounreay ambassadors
inspire students
Three Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) ambassadors
from Dounreay have been inspiring youngsters at a local primary school.
T h e Te c h n i c a l D i r e c t o r a t e
encouraged Andrew Dunnett,
Greg McEwan and Susan
Bunch to become involved with
STEM.
Local STEM Coordinator, Pat
Keiran, explained what being an
ambassador entailed. They
decided to join the scheme,
enthusiastic about being able to
give something back to
youngsters in the community.
They worked together to carry out
the experiments with the primary
one class at Pultneytown
Academy, delivering the Crest
Star Awards programme which
has been specifically developed
for that age group.
The team also created some of its
own experiments including
gravity and aerodynamics; music
making and the life-cycle of a
butterfly, creating and flying
paper planes and making home
made musical instruments.
The team worked so well together
it is looking to do STEM again next
term at a different school with
slightly older children, which will
allow them to do more advanced
activities.
Susan Bunch said: "I really
enjoyed my year doing the STEM
activities with the children as it
was brilliant to get them engaging
in learning about STEM. It would
be good in a few years when they
are older to go back to the class
and get them involved in the next
level of STEM."
hope we can continue to interest
young people in STEM subjects
or careers."
Greg McEwan said: "It was a
great experience working with the
primary one class as part of the
Crest Star Awards. They were
very enthusiastic about doing the
experiments and it was great to
see the knowledge they already
had and the interest they showed
in the tasks. Hopefully this is a
starting point for some of the kids
to follow up on and one day aim to
have a career in a science or
engineering environment."
Andrew Dunnett said: "I found
working with the kids thoroughly
enjoyable and they seemed very
receptive to the different STEM
based activities we carried out
with them. This was very
encouraging to see as our aim is
to show them the opportunities
that can present themselves by
pursing STEM based subjects
and careers. I look forward to
continuing our STEM work and
August / September 2016
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14 D O U N R E A Y N E W S
features
Wick harvesting the
winds of change
Wick harbour is set for a major boost following a decision by SSE to invest
£2.6bn in the construction of the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL).
More than 80 turbines could be
installed in the outer Moray Firth
with construction due to start next
year.
Wick harbour will be used for
construction, support shipping in
and out of equipment, supplies
and construction workers.
However the main prize for the
area is the fact that Wick harbour
has been chosen as the
operations and support base,
providing 28 years of activity with
an option to extend this initial
period by a further 25 years
creating up to 200 jobs.
Willie Watt, Chairman of Wick
Harbour Authority, said: “We have
been working for the last ten years
to try and regenerate the harbour
and secure a new future for the
area as a whole.
“ We a r e d e l i g h t e d w i t h t h e
announcement from SSE that Wick
harbour will be their base for
operations and maintenance. It is
the most important news for the
harbour in the last 100 years.
“The board and the harbour team
have worked tirelessly to secure
this bright new future and I would
like to pay particular thanks to
Malcolm Bremner, our Harbour
Master, plus Gordon Doull and
John Mackay (ex Dounreay
Project Accountant) who have
recently both retired from their
posts and were both central to our
success.”
The programme of work for Wick
Harbour Authority is one of the
priority projects on the Caithness
and North Sutherland
Regeneration Partnership
(CNSRP) programme.
Eann Sinclair, CNSRP
Programme Manager, said: “This
is fantastic news, not only for the
harbour, but for the area as a
whole.
“They are fully utilised by local
boats and we have seen a 400%
increase in visitor numbers
providing good business for both
harbour and community alike.
“The secondment of Shona Kirk
from Cavendish Nuclear was
invaluable to us – the Harbour
Authority is a small voluntary team
and getting the support of Shona
on a virtually full time basis helped
keep the negotiations and work on
schedule.
“I can honestly say that this has
been a real team effort from
likeminded Caithness folk and I
want to thank everyone involved in
making the harbour's aspirations
become a reality.
“We have against all odds not only
turned the harbour around and
made it a place to be proud of; we
also have delivered a sustainable
future that our youngsters will
enjoy for a very long time to come.”
“This project has been one of the
CNSRP's priority projects over the
last six years and while there has
been a lot of work going on in the
background it is great to see the
announcement by SSE finally
becoming public knowledge.
“This can only help grow
confidence in the area that there is
a future beyond the Dounreay
decommissioning programme.”
“The Wick Harbour Authority Board
would like to thank CNSRP and the
Dounreay Socio Economic
Alliance for all the support they
have provided over the last few
years”, added Willie.
“Without the funding from Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority and
Dounreay for the marina complex
we would have never been able to
achieve the changes that we
brought in, especially with the
addition of the pontoons.
“This can only help grow confidence in the area”
August / September 2016
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features
D O U N R E AY N E W S
15
The Dounreay Socio Economic Alliance (NDA and
Dounreay partners, Cavendish Dounreay Partnership and
DSRL), in partnership with CNSRP, played their part in
supporting this project with:
• NDA funding support: Since 2008 the NDA has supported
the harbour with funding of £715,000 which went towards
upgrading the marina complex with the supply of pontoons,
funding for technical studies and for the commercial pier
upgrade.
Over the last year NDA has been involved in discussions
about a high water protection gate for the outer harbour.
While the inner harbour has capacity for six crew transfer
vessels (CTVs) to be berthed, the inclusion of a high water
gate for the outer harbour would allow further expansion to
accommodate an additional 20 CTVs and provide a safe
haven whilst berthed.
• Dounreay funding support: £25,000 was provided to
support the upgrading of the welfare facilities for the marina
in 2011 and a further £110,000 provided in 2015 to support
the high water gate investigation works.
• Cavendish Nuclear support: Shona Kirk has been
seconded to Wick Harbour Authority since 2015 to support
the harbour authority with their business planning and
negotiations with SSE.
August / September 2016
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16 D O U N R E A Y N E W S
features
Suppliers buy into event
The 'Meet the Buyer' annual event was hosted in Dunblane in June, giving
companies the opportunity to meet senior decision makers in the nuclear industry.
The event is supported by the
Nuclear Industry Association
(NIA) and the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority
(NDA).
Robert McDonald, Commercial
Manager for Fuels, gave a
presentation on supplier
opportunities and the renewal of
framework agreements at
D o u n r e a y. J u n e L o v e ,
Community Relations Manager,
was also in attendance. They had
18 one-to-one meetings with
companies from all over the UK.
Follow up meetings have been
arranged in Thurso's
Dounreay.com office with 15-20
suppliers. This is thought to bring
huge socio economic benefits to
the county.
Robert said: “With the down-turn
in the oil and gas market there are
a lot of suppliers interested in
working in the nuclear industry.
“Through this event we were able
to reach a large pool of potential
suppliers, who have the skills and
capacity that we need to deliver
projects at Dounreay.”
June added: “Our stand was
busy all day with enquiries. We
made sure everyone was given
information on the local capability
and encouraged them to speak to
our local supply chain to explore
where there was potential to work
together.
“The local benefit from contracts
was discussed at every
opportunity”.
Pupils gain insight into employment essentials
Seven students have successfully completed the Ready Steady Work
course sponsored by Dounreay and North Highland College.
The course gives students an
opportunity to prepare
themselves for employment by
giving them the skills and
knowledge they need to secure
the job they want. The course
content includes job seeking
skills, industry visits, CV writing,
interview preparation and mock
interviews.
August / September 2016
The students are pictured here
with Lynda MacAskill and Marie
Mackay from Dounreay who
organise and deliver the course
and Anne Bremner, Director for
Learning and Teaching, North
Highland College.
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features
D O U N R E AY N E W S
17
Three become one
Logistics is a fine example of "one team" work at Dounreay.
The multifunctional Logistics
team was created by merging
stores, commercial waste and the
postal messenger service to
reduce duplication of tasks on
site.
There are eighteen members of
staff, supported by two buyers
from Support Service and two
technical procurement officers
from Technical.
Three directorates working
together to deliver a service for
the whole site is a prime example
of the “one team” ethos.
Logistics is essential to the
smooth running of the site,
carrying out countless tasks that
people take for granted.
Talking to Dounreay News,
L o g i s t i c s M a n a g e r, S t e v e
Strange, said: “It is a pleasure
working with the Logistics team
and I am very proud of it's
achievements and how it has
come together to form a
committed and reliable team”.
We may be aware of the Stores
services provided to site, allowing
us to order items internally for
delivery the next day, but the team
has a much wider remit of work on
site.
Logistics is the central delivery
hub for items coming onto site,
escorting deliveries and security
scanning packages.
The team collects waste electronic
equipment and oil for recycling in
addition to its normal recycling
activities.
The team is responsible for office
and furniture moves all around the
site.
There is a small satellite store in
t h e Fu e l C y c l e A r e a w h i c h
reduces the amount of packaging
going over the barrier.
It delivers and collects gas
cylinders around site twice a week.
Ruling the waves
The Dounreay Communities Fund recently assisted four local surfers from North Shore Surf
Club (Thurso), who were chosen to compete in the Nordic Championships in Norway.
One of the surfers chosen to
complete was Iona McLachlan,
aged 16 (daughter of Duncan
McLachlan who works as a
Graphics Designer and
Photographer on site).
Iona got into surfing whilst on a
family holiday in Cornwall and
joined the North Shore Surf Club
two years ago.
The rest of the local team
consisted of surfers Mark Boyd,
Shoana Blackadder and Phoebe
Shrache who all had impressive
results.
In the ladies category Shoana was
second and Phoebe was third; in
the junior category Iona was third;
and Mark was fifth in the open's
men category.
Iona said “It was a great
experience and I was able to meet
surfers from all around the world.
“My heat for the ladies category
was on the last day, which meant I
could surf every day.
“With this being my first
international competition, I was
amazed that I won the semi-finals
and got third in the finals.
“I cannot thank the Dounreay
Communities Fund enough for
donating £600, which paid for the
team's accommodation.”
Iona also recently competed in the
Scottish National Surfing
Championships and won in the
under 18's, came third in the ladies
and third in the under 16s.
In September she is travelling to
Azores for the World Junior
Championships and to Morocco
in December.
August / September 2016
The Dounreay Communities Fund aims to assist charitable
activities and local organisations in the Dounreay travel to work
area. It is administered by Marie Mackay.
w w w. d o u n r e a y. c o m
18 D O U N R E A Y N E W S
features
Dounreay history energises
new exhibition
Photographs, film clips and other objects charting the history of Dounreay's
Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) have been sent to Edinburgh to feature in an
exhibition showing how the site has contributed to the energy industry in Scotland.
Dounreay features heavily at the
Energise gallery, which is one of
ten new galleries launched by the
National Museums Scotland
(NMS) in July as part of a £14.1
million redevelopment.
“Visitors can explore the sources,
generation, distribution and use of
energy over the last 200 years
through a range of artefacts, touch
screens and hands-on
interactives.
Among the items being displayed
at the exhibition are two of the
electrical panels from the former
PFR control room, once visited in
1979 by the then newly elected
Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher.
“One of the key attractions in the
gallery is part of the control room
from the PFR at Dounreay. Used to
connect the reactor to the national
grid, the panels allow the museum
to explore the distribution of
energy, and encourage our visitors
to consider the people and
technology involved in getting
electricity to where it is needed.
The artefacts from PFR form part of
the new energy exhibition, along
with many other items of historical
significance, including dummy fuel
elements from the Dounreay
Materials Testing Reactor and
pages from the famous boys'
comic Eagle which features DFR.
Dounreay's Heritage Officer,
James Gunn and June Love,
Community Relations Manager
(pictured far right), attended the
official opening reception, where
Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Cabinet
Secretary for Culture, Tourism and
External Affairs, addressed the
hundreds of invited attendees.
NMS's Senior Curator of
Technology, Elsa Cox, said: "Over
3,000 objects are presented in the
new displays across four galleries
of art, design and fashion and six
galleries of science and
technology.
“Thanks to the generosity of
Dounreay our visitors also have the
rare opportunity to explore reactor
internals through sub-assemblies,
fuel pin grids and heat exchange
pipes complimented by striking
imagery.
“National Museums Scotland is
extremely grateful to all at
Dounreay who have helped us to
acquire key historical artefacts and
photographs for display, helping to
bring energy technology to life for
our millions of visitors."
The National Museums Scotland
receives over a million visitors
every year, making it the most
popular museum outside London.
“We are delighted to have the
opportunity to showcase material
from the Dounreay nuclear
research facility in the new
Energise gallery.
“Energise explores the different
sources of energy we depend on
every day and looks at how
science and technology might
transform how we generate,
distribute and use energy in the
future.
August / September 2016
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feature
D O U N R E AY N E W S
19
Caithness nets new
basketball team
Basketball has been re-introduced into Caithness by Caithness Clan.
Earlier this year Martins
Staltmanis, who works in the
Welcome Break, decided to set up
the Caithness Clan basketball
team as he had missed playing the
sport.
He had previously been a member
of the Thurso Tigers club which
disbanded three years ago as
players moved away.
The team has players from all over
the county, including several from
Dounreay.
They train once a week in Halkirk
and new members are very
welcome. More information is
available on their Facebook page.
The team competed in its first
competition at Gairloch last month
with Martins winning the gold
medal as the team's best player.
Martins said: “I started basketball
at Easter because I love it and
there were no clubs in Caithness.
Basketball is a great way to get fit,
learn new skills and work as a
team.
“Basketball is a really fun and fast
paced sport, I would encourage
anyone looking for something a bit
different to come along and give it
a try regardless of experience,
gender or fitness level.”
CNC widow donates memorabilia
The widow of a retired Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officer returned to
Dounreay recently to present some of his memorabilia to current serving officers.
PC Phil Williams-Blake retired
from the CNC in 2008 after 29
years' service and sadly passed
away in 2015.
He served at Sellafield and
Dounreay during his time at CNC,
and was drill instructor at the CNC
Training School for a number of
years, putting new recruits
through their paces.
L a s t m o n t h h i s w i d o w,
Jacqueline Williams-Blake
presented the Dounreay
Operational Policing Unit (OPU)
with Phil's sash and pace stick,
along with some UK Atomic
Energy Authority Constabulary
and CNC memorabilia collected
by Phil over the years.
Supt Martin O'Kane said: “I had
the pleasure of working with Phil
for over 30 years. He was a much
respected colleague
and friend, not only
to myself but to
officers and staff at
Dounreay and
throughout the CNC.
“The items donated
to us by Jacqueline
now have pride of
place at the
Dounreay OPU
reception for
everyone who visits
the site to see.”
Pictured from left
are: PC Gill Coghill,
Sgt Jacqueline
Mackay, Sgt Karen
Tadd, Sgt Chris
D o n a g h y ,
Jacqueline Williams-Blake, Sgt
Paul Brown and Supt Martin
O'Kane.
August / September 2016
w w w. d o u n r e a y. c o m
20 D O U N R E A Y N E W S
news round-up
Running for success
SUE’S NEWS at the castle
Isobel Mowat would like to thank
everyone who sponsored her
recent abseiling adventure near
the Trinkie in W ick. She is
collecting for a small charity
called Children With Cancer, as
her granddaughter Una was
recently diagnosed with
neuroblastoma. Una is the
daughter of Dounreay's former
trainer Davie Mowat.
Dounreay sponsored the eighth Castle of
Mey 10k running event in May.
So far Isobel has raised £1,000 for
the charity. If you missed her and
would like to donate, please visit
www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk
Civil Nuclear Constabulary's
Simone Shewell has been
appointed community safety
officer and Pete Shewell has been
appointed community safety
adviser for the Thurso boat's area.
This is part of the Royal National
Lifeboat Institute's (RNLI) Respect
the Water campaign. Pete says:
“Over 200 people accidentally die
each year around our coast.
Respect the Water is the RNLI's
national drowning prevention
campaign and will play a key role in
helping us to achieve to halve the
number of coastal drownings by
2024.
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter
Ross Member of Parliment Dr
Paul Monaghan toured the
reactors on a familiarisation visit
hosted by the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority
(NDA). He was impressed with
the people that he met, and
commented on their skills,
enthusiasm and pride in their
work. Pictured in front of the
Dounreay Fast Reactor are, from
left, Sue Thompson, Anna
MacConnell (NDA), Dr
Monaghan MP, Karl Rosie (Chief
of Staff), and Mike Brown (NDA).
The sun was shining for the 296
runners who took part. Event
L e a d O r g a n i s e r, G r a e m e
Dunnett, said: “We were blessed
with the warmest day of the year
so far which, although nice for the
spectators, did present a more
challenging race for the runners.”
The first male across the finishing
line was Gordon Lennox of
Inverness Harriers in 33.53
minutes. The first female was
Kirsty Wood of North Highland
Harriers in 44.02 minutes.
There was fun for all the family,
who could participate in the 5k
Mey Meander walk where all
proceeds were donated to
Caithness Riding for the
Disabled, and the Mey Mile fun
run. There was a record turnout
for the Mey Mile with 200
participants lining up for the fun
run.
The North Highland Harriers'
flagship event is now firmly
es ta b lis hed in the r unning
calendar and the Dounreay
Communities Fund is a key
sponsor of the event.
“Their continued support is much
appreciated by North Highland
Harriers”, said Graeme.
Phil Cartwright represented the
Dounreay Community Fund for
the presentation of prizes.
Dounreay News is edited by: Sue Thompson, Dounreay Communications
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