Pioneering underwater profiling in fuel ponds

The R&D nuclear team are testing a new technology that can measure the level and depth of contamination in nuclear waste storage areas. It's being used in an active fuel pond at Dungeness B power station.

Measuring trapped radioactivity

A universal challenge at nuclear sites is measuring the radioactivity trapped within cement structures, like the walls of nuclear fuel and waste storage ponds. During decommissioning, the contaminated layers must be removed and sorted. Contaminated material is stored as either Low-Level Waste (LLW) or Intermediate Level Waste (ILW), which is about 30 times more expensive to store than LLW – so getting the classification right can lead to significant savings over time.

D:EEP

Since 2022, R&D has been working with technology partners Createc to develop a tool called D:EEP (Deep Estimating Entrained Product technology). The technology was tested in 2024 at Dungeness B using bespoke underwater equipment and a variable boom to measure different depths – the first-of-a-kind underwater depth profiling of an active fuel storage pond.

Next Steps

The trial was a success, with data collected safely and reliably, demonstrating the technology’s ability to measure above, at and below the waterline during the same test. The next step is to test the technology at other stations, with work already starting at Heysham 1, to prepare for wider deployment across more sites.

Find out more: rdoperations@edfenergy.com