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HIFAR has been Australia’s only multi-purpose research reactor for the past fifty years and has operated safely and effectively over this time. It has supplied millions of patient doses of nuclear medicine and provided scientists with neutron beams to let them to study the structure of materials. It has irradiated hundreds of tonnes of silicon for the international semiconductor industry and also supplied radioisotopes for industrial use.
Over the past five years ANSTO has built a replacement research reactor – OPAL – which is now ready to take over from HIFAR in supplying neutrons for research, industry and to make nuclear medicine. There is therefore no further need for HIFAR and accordingly it was shut down on 30 January 2007, following a special event with the Minister. That event heralds the commencement of the decommissioning process.
Decommissioning is the process of dismantling the reactor and ancillary equipment. This process will occur over a period of ten years, with each step being carefully planned and approved by ANSTO’s regulator, ARPANSA. The total cost of the process is estimated to be around $50 million.
The decommissioning project will be in four stages:
- Stage 1 (2007): Shutdown, removal of fuel and draining of fluids from the facility.
- Stage 2 (2007/2008): Care and maintenance. The reactor will be kept in a safe state whilst decay of short-lived radioactive materials within the reactor takes place.
- Stage 3 (2016): Dismantling of the reactor, including the removal of all radioactive and other wastes.
- Stage 4 (2016): Post-decommissioning site use. This is the final stage and refers to when the site is permitted to return to a green field site or used for other purposes as determined by ANSTO.
The decommissioning of the DIDO reactor in Harwell UK, of which HIFAR is practically a carbon copy, started in 1990 and is due to be completed in 2016, which is the same time HIFAR decommissioning is scheduled for completion. The HIFAR decommissioning process will therefore take less time than its UK counterpart. The UK team’s expertise will be utilised during the HIFAR decommissioning process.
Community forums
Community forums will be arranged during the year for informing people of the process and allowing them to ask questions. The first of these will be in March. |
The Hon. Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Education, Science and Training initiated the final shutdown of Australia’s first nuclear reactor, HIFAR.
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