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| Sellafield towers are demolished | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The first two of four cooling towers at Calder Hall in Cumbria, the world's first full-scale nuclear power station, have been demolished. | |
| The 88 metre-high towers on the Sellafield site were exploded at precisely 0900 BST as part of Calder Hall's decommissioning. | |
| The towers, which had stood for 50 years, were regarded as a major part of Britain's industrial heritage. | |
| Their dismantling comes over four years after electricity generation ceased. | |
| It is the first part of a plan to decommission the complex, comprising 62 buildings which was opened by the Queen on 17 October, 1956. | It is the first part of a plan to decommission the complex, comprising 62 buildings which was opened by the Queen on 17 October, 1956. |
| Plans to create a £128m hi-tech museum were scrapped earlier this week. | Plans to create a £128m hi-tech museum were scrapped earlier this week. |
| The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) said the proposal had been ruled out because of the costs involved, although a spokesman said creating it on the site "was possible". | The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) said the proposal had been ruled out because of the costs involved, although a spokesman said creating it on the site "was possible". |
| Closed system | Closed system |
| Permission to decommission Calder Hall was obtained in June 2005, after several years of criticism about the safety of its operation, and a public consultation. | Permission to decommission Calder Hall was obtained in June 2005, after several years of criticism about the safety of its operation, and a public consultation. |
| During their operation, the four towers supplied cooled water as it returned to the turbine hall within a closed energy system, a key part of the production of power. | During their operation, the four towers supplied cooled water as it returned to the turbine hall within a closed energy system, a key part of the production of power. |
| Their demolition is part of "the largest asbestos removal project in Europe", said a Sellafield Ltd spokesman. | Their demolition is part of "the largest asbestos removal project in Europe", said a Sellafield Ltd spokesman. |
| Weapons-grade plutonium | Weapons-grade plutonium |
| He said a risk assessment has been carried out and it is believed all physical effects of the blast will be confined to within 200m (656ft) of the demolition site. | He said a risk assessment has been carried out and it is believed all physical effects of the blast will be confined to within 200m (656ft) of the demolition site. |
| It will take 12 weeks to remove the rubble after the explosions have taken place, with steel from the site being recycled where possible. | It will take 12 weeks to remove the rubble after the explosions have taken place, with steel from the site being recycled where possible. |
| Early in its existence, Calder Hall was primarily used to produce weapons-grade plutonium, with electricity generation as its secondary purpose. | Early in its existence, Calder Hall was primarily used to produce weapons-grade plutonium, with electricity generation as its secondary purpose. |
| It was not until April 1995 the UK Government confirmed all production of plutonium for weapons purposes had stopped. | It was not until April 1995 the UK Government confirmed all production of plutonium for weapons purposes had stopped. |