Existing Structural Features of a PWR which may aid Decommissioning

Fuel removal procedures follow normal refuelling operations as carried out throughout the station lifetime. 

The highly active reactor internal structures can be readily removed from the RPV shell and stored underwater awaiting disposal following procedures used throughout the working life of the station for periodic Inspection. 

The NSSS plant is comparatively small in volume and its internal surface is specially prepared to facilitate decontamination. 

The NSSS can be readily dismantled into Individual plant Items which can be handled by the existing reactor building polar crane. 

As described in paragraph 9.4.6 (e) all major NSSS plant Items except the RPV can be removed as whole units and extracted from the reactor building via the existing plant access penetration. 

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