The economic importance of the work to decommission the Dungeness A nuclear power is being highlighted by a roadshow visiting Rye next week. It comes as more demolition at the site will alter the familiar skyline across Rye Bay forever.
Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) is holding a community event in the town centre next to the Cinque Ports pub on Monday and Tuesday October 20 – 21 from 10am to 4pm each day.
Dungeness A stopped generating electricity in 2006. In recent years, the 26-metre high turbine hall, built in 1965, has been demolished with radioactive material transferred to Sellafield in Cumbria or Bradwell in Essex.
Earlier this year, work was completed backfilling the basement of the turbine hall with 25,000 tonnes of material. More than 1,400 lorry deliveries were made over 3.5 months, with materials locally sourced from Lydd Quarry.
Preparation work is now underway to demolish the 47-metre high buildings that house eight 750 tonne boilers and other redundant equipment. This will reduce site buildings by about a third and create a major skyline change – subject to planning approval – across Rye Bay.
A spokesperson for NRS says the decommissioning plays a vital role in supporting the local economy. “It offers significant benefits in skills retention and career development for local communities. At Dungeness A the process is not just about dismantling structures – it’s about developing expertise and creating opportunities for future generations.”
The roadshow is a chance for people in Rye to find out more about the work at Dungeness and includes an interactive digital exhibition.
October 20-21, 10am to 4pm Rye town centre next to Cinque Ports pub
Image Credits: Nuclear Restoration services .