Spent fuel means a fortune spent

A Pound 260 million encapsulation plant for the intermediate level radioactive waste metal cladding produced when Magnox reactor fuel is reprocessed, and a Pound 250 million vitrification plant to seal into glass the high level waste that has accumulated from 30 years of magnox reprocessing, are nearing completion at BNFL's Sellafield site in the United Kingdom. A further encapsulation plant will take waste arising from the reprocessing of advanced gas cooled reactor and light water reactor fuel in the Pound 1.85 million Thorp plant being built at Sellafield. Meanwhile, the geology of the Sellafield site is being investigated for its suitability as a site for the construction of a deep underground repository for the treated waste. In future, large additional amounts of waste will arise from the decommissioning of reactors. Improvements, costing Pound 20 million, have been undertaken at the nearby low level waste dump at Drigg. The cost of these new plants and improvements is reflected in the rising charges to BNFL's customers -the electricity generating boards and companies in the United Kingdom, other European countries and Japan. (UK)