Re: Chapelcross reactor

["daveandrewswxm1" <daveandrewswxm1@netscapeonline.co.uk>]

Dear All,



Calder Hall was hailed as the world's first "commercial nuclear power plant"

when it opened in 1956. In fact its primary purpose was to produce plutonium

for the UK's nuclear weapons. The same was true of Chapelcross which opened

in 1958.



The UK's commercial Magnox programme did'nt actually start until the opening

of Berkeley and Bradwell in 1962. Following this  a further seven Magnox

stations of progressively higher MW were built culminating in the opening of

Wylfa (840 MW) in 1971.



Calder Hall and Chapelcross have remained "military standby" reactors ever

since, although the former was placed under international safeguards in the

mid 1990s. Chapelcross was modified in 1980 to produce tritium for the UK

military programme and remains the only UK reactor outside safeguards.



Currently three commercial Magnox stations have closed - Berkeley (1989),

Hunterston A (1990) and Trawsfynydd (1993). Bradwell is due to close in

2002, with Dungeness A and Sizewell A closing in 2006, leaving just Oldbury

and Wylfa whose closure dates are as yet undecided. The "military standby"

reactors will close between 2006 - 2010 on current plans with Chapelcross

closing latest.



The reason other reactors have, or are, closing sooner relates to design and

licensing as well as national security!



In peace, Dave Andrews





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