EntityQ1739397· pop 14· linked from 486 articles

Dounreay

Dounreay (; ) is a small settlement and the site of two large nuclear establishments on the north coast of Caithness in the Highland area of Scotland. It is on the A836 road west of Thurso.

Key facts

Power station.name: Dounreay nuclear site
Power station.image: DounreayJM.jpg
Power station.image_caption: View of site in 2006, with DFR sphere at centre
Power station.name_official: NRS Dounreay Formerly: UKAEA Dounreay; Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment
Power station.country: United Kingdom
Power station.np_reactors: 3
Power station.np_reactor_type: Fast breeder reactor
Power station.ps_site_area: 135 acre
Power station.ps_units_operational: None operational
Power station.ps_electrical_capacity: DFR 14 MWePFR 250 MWe
Power station.ps_annual_generation: DFR55.9 GWh (Peak 1972)32.1 GWh (Average 1972-77)PFR1042.6 GWh (Peak 1989)528.1 GWh (Average 1978-91)
Power station.owner: Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
Power station.operator: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority(1955–2008)Dounreay Site Restoration Limited(2008–2023)Nuclear Restoration Services(2023–present)
Power station.employees: 1,283 (staff)700 (contractors)[2022]
Power station.commissioned: 1955
Power station.decommissioned: 1994 (ceased generating but other activities continued)
Power station.status: Decommissioning in progress

via Wikipedia infobox

Article

21 sections

Contents

Dounreay settlement
Nuclear sites
Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment
Dounreay Materials Test Reactor (DMTR)
Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR)
Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR)
Fuel Cycle Area (FCA)
Material Test Reactor (MTR) Fuel Reprocessing Plant
Dounreay Fast Reactor Irradiated Fuel Reprocessing Plant
Subsequent activity
Significant accidents
Sodium explosion
Radioactive fuel swarf
Major power failure
Removal of fuel
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority ownership
Framework contracts
Vulcan Naval Reactor Testing Establishment (NRTE)
See also
References
External links

Dounreay (; ) is a small settlement and the site of two large nuclear establishments on the north coast of Caithness in the Highland area of Scotland. It is on the A836 road west of Thurso.

The nuclear establishments were created in the 1950s. They were the Nuclear Power Development Establishment (NPDE), now known as NRS Dounreay, for the development of civil fast breeder reactors, and the Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment (NRTE), a military submarine reactor testing facility. Both have ended operations and are being decommissioned. The two establishments have been a major element in the economy of Thurso and Caithness, but this will decrease with the progress of decommissioning.