Senior Project Manager Brett Wheeler highlighted the meticulous planning behind the project, stating, “The long-running decommissioning project has involved 10 years of planning and preparations in the lead-up to ARPANSA’s license approval.”
Since its shutdown in 2007, HIFAR has been maintained in a safe state, with ANSTO removing the reactor fuel, control arms, and heavy water within the first year of closure.
The project’s current phase involves dismantling only the internal infrastructure and radioactive components within the 21-meter-tall facility.
“The white exterior shell of HIFAR won’t be going anywhere soon. There are no plans to dismantle the exterior structure until much further down the track,” Wheeler said.