Crushed concrete from the decommissioned Sizewell A nuclear plant is being reused on the neighbouring Sizewell C project in Suffolk in a circular economy deal.<\/p>\n
Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) demolished the Sizewell A turbine hall and processed more than 15,000 tonnes of concrete from the turbine alternator plinths.<\/p>\n
The material, now fully certified under the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Quality Protocol, is being used as sub-base for foundations within the Sizewell C Main Construction Area.<\/p>\n
The two sites, located only a few hundred metres apart, coordinated to transport the recycled aggregate without requiring long-distance haulage, cutting around 800 vehicle movements from local roads.<\/p>\n
According to NRS, the project avoided 28 tonnes of CO\u2082 emissions by diverting waste from landfill and eliminating the need for newly quarried materials.<\/p>\n
Wendy Heath, senior project manager at NRS, said the collaboration demonstrated \u201chow collaborative working is enabling sustainable decommissioning\u201d, while also aligning with the company\u2019s values of safety, sustainability and community.<\/p>\n
Senior representatives from the Environment Agency and East Suffolk Council had approached Sizewell C to suggest the reuse initiative. All materials were tested, crushed and certified on site at Sizewell A before transfer.<\/p>\n
Damian Leydon, site delivery director at Sizewell C, said the scheme reduced demand for newly sourced aggregate and minimised construction traffic through East Suffolk.<\/p>\n
The reused material supports Sizewell C\u2019s UK content and local spending targets. The scheme is part of a broader government-backed push to improve sustainability in nuclear development, following January 2024\u2019s triggering of the Development Consent Order for Sizewell C and an additional \u00a31.3bn in government funding for preparatory works.<\/p>\n
The Environment Agency said it would continue working with NRS to encourage similar approaches across other decommissioning sites.<\/p>\n