Operations At UK N-Plant Have 'No Health Significance' For Ireland, Says Report
Written by NucNet
Monday, 08 October 2007
Operations at the UK's Wylfa nuclear power plant pose no threat to the nearby Republic of Ireland, a new report has confirmed.
The report by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII)*, presented today to Ireland's minister for the environment, heritage and local government, John Gormley, said the RPII considered that "there was a high emphasis on maintaining a safe working environment at the plant and that recent modifications enhance overall safety".
The twin-unit Magnox plant is on the island of Anglesey in Wales, which is about 120 kilometres from Ireland's east coast. Wylfa-1 began commercial operation in 1971 and Wylfa-2 in 1972. Both are 490-megawatt gas-cooled reactors.
The RPII report follows a visit made by the institute to Wylfa towards the end of 2006 as part of its activities to provide advice and information to the Irish government on nuclear safety issues. Ireland has no domestic nuclear power programme.
Tony Colgan, director of the RPII's advisory service, said: "The opportunity to visit the Wylfa plant was very welcome and follows on from previous visits to the (UK) nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield in 2000 and 2004. These visits allow the RPII to keep itself informed of developments within the UK nuclear industry so that we can provide the best possible advice to the Irish government and to the Irish population on nuclear safety matters."
In July 2006 the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority said Wylfa would not have its operating life extended beyond 2010 because major improvements would be needed for systems on the reactors.
*The RPII is the national organisation concerned with hazards to health from ionising radiation and radioactive contamination of the environment. Its functions relate principally to the monitoring of radioactivity in the environment and of radiation doses received by Irish people occupationally or otherwise. A more detailed summary of the report is available on the RPII's web site (www.rpii.ie/press).
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
UK's Wylfa N-Plant Passes Periodic Safety Review (News in Brief No. 36, 5 October 2004)
UK'S NDA Confirms No Extension For Wylfa Beyond 2010 (News No. 82, 26 April 2006)
The NucNet database currently contains more than 12,000 reports published since 1991. To subscribe or ask for any further information email
