Three years on, Thorp is up and running again

By Alan Irving

Last updated 12:38, Thursday, 27 March 2008

THREE years to the month after being shutdown due to a serious leak of radioactive liquor, Thorp is finally up and running again.

The Sellafield oxide reprocessing plant was gearing up for a re-start two months ago only for a vital piece of machinery to fail.

Repairs have been made to an elevator which carries radioactive fuel from a feed pond to a cave for shearing. The metal elevator ropes had failed but site operators Sellafield Ltd said all the safety systems worked and none of the fuel pins were damaged.

More than 1,000 people work in Thorp which also supports other plants across the site.

A Sellafield spokesman said the reprocessing campaign involved 100 tonnes of fuel from home and overseas. “Production is being increased slowly, as is normal after a shutdown in order to safely bring the plant back into full operation.”