Radioactive contamination halts work on SSEN subsea link near Dounreay
Work on part of the mainland link of SSEN Transmission’s new high voltage cable between Orkney and Caithness has been suspended because of the presence of radioactive contamination.
The company has been required to have extra monitoring carried out before it resumes work on its new substation near the Dounreay nuclear plant.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency wants the work done as part of the planning process.
A spokesperson said: “We have identified the need for monitoring for radioactivity to be undertaken at the site where the substation will be constructed.
“The monitoring is needed due to the proximity of the site to Dounreay.
“Following the identification of radium contamination at the site, SSEN has stopped work while it acquires an Environmental Scotland authorisation permit.
“A permit is needed due to the presence of radium contamination at depths as the planned excavation work is beyond these depths.”
The spokesperson added: “The site is secure and there is no public access to it.”
SSEN said traces of radiation were found during onshore earthworks at its Dounreay West substation.
A spokesperson for SSEN Transmission said: “In line with our robust environmental mitigation plans and following advice from our specialist contractor, the affected areas were immediately isolated, and exclusion zones established.
“As a further precaution, all works on site have been temporarily suspended whilst further tests and assessments take place.
“Sepa has been notified and we will continue to work with them, our contractors and all other relevant stakeholders.”
The spokesperson said none of its employees had suffered any harm.
Dounreay’s operators employ specialist teams to carry out regular radioactive scans of the foreshore and several other local beaches.
The latest particle was recovered from the foreshore on November 25, bringing the total to about 370.
The contamination comprises fragments of irradiated nuclear fuel at Dounreay which were discharged to sea through historic sloppy waste management practices.
SSEN plans to install a 200kV high voltage alternating current cable which will connect Orkney to the Scottish mainland for the first time.
The £900 million project is being designed to connect up to 220 megawatts of renewable energy to the national grid.
