By David Siddall

Last updated at 16:16, Friday, 07 November 2008

LAND next to Sellafield may be earmarked for a giant incinerator to burn both low-level nuclear waste and domestic waste from across Cumbria and beyond.

A conference on the Energy Coast at Penrith on Friday heard that a business plan is in the advanced stages for the incinerator and its railhead on greenfield land on the Gosforth side of Sellafield.

Barry Watkinson, delivery manager for external innovation for Sellafield Ltd, said the low-level waste repository had to move on from its current “antiquated” approach of burying waste in containers and vaults at Drigg. He added that Sellafield already had a combined heat and power plant that “needs replacing in five to six years’ time... this is the opportunity to look at a different approach and get energy from waste.”

He added that such a plant would need an extra 400,000 tonnes per year of waste over and above low-level waste from Sellafield and Drigg.

“There would need to be a significant movement of waste to Cumbria. We have spoken to Cumbria County Council and they only generate 100,000 tonnes.”

Pointing out the possible site to the east of the current Fellside power plant, he added: “The regulator is happy see the Sellafield licensed site extended east”. He also described more ambitious plans for a metal smelter to re-use steel destined for Drigg and use it to build 26,000 steel nuclear disposal casks.

The business plan for such a return to steelrolling in Cumbria came from the fact that the Germans currently plan to charge £200,000 each for these high specification steel casks.

First published at 16:12, Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk