【Lucas Height】End of an era for Australia’s first nuclear reactor

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Editor’s Note

This article marks the commencement of a significant decommissioning project for Australia’s first nuclear research reactor, HIFAR, at Lucas Heights. It signals the end of an era for this historic facility.

HIFAR
Decommissioning Project Commences

ANSTO is embarking on a major decommissioning project which will officially mark the end of an era for Australia’s first nuclear research reactor at Lucas Heights, the High Flux Australian Reactor known as HIFAR.

Historical Significance and Operation

Opened by Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies in an elaborate ceremony in 1958, the HIFAR reactor safely operated for nearly 50 years until 2007 when it was replaced by ANSTO’s current multi-purpose research reactor, OPAL. The commencement of the project follows a license issued by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) in late 2024, for the initial stages of the decommissioning works.

ANSTO CEO Shaun Jenkinson said Australia’s nuclear age was formally ushered in with the commissioning of HIFAR, which has remained an iconic landmark on ANSTO’s campus.

“The distinctive white circular steel frame of the HIFAR facility has been a prominent fixture of Lucas Heights and across the valley here in southern Sydney for nearly 70 years,” Mr Jenkinson said.
“As a multi-purpose 10 megawatt reactor, HIFAR pioneered Australia’s nuclear medicine production and silicon irradiation capabilities, and housed the first neutron beam research instruments – all of which paved the way for the sovereign capabilities we have here at ANSTO today.
“This project will be carried out in line with international best practice for decommissioning. It will also be underpinned by ANSTO’s extensive radiation protection and safety, decommissioning experience and the wealth of engineering and technical knowledge honed over decades within the HIFAR team.”
Phase A Decommissioning Details

The decommissioning has since commenced with initial works under Phase A (Stage 1) to remove the neutron beam instruments, control room, fuel assembly station, and other peripheral equipment.
In stages 2 and 3 of Phase A, the HIFAR Circuits will be removed along with the contents of No.1 Storage Block.

Senior Project Manager Brett Wheeler said the long-running decommissioning project has involved 10 years of planning and preparations in the lead-up to ARPANSA’s licence approval.

“HIFAR has been in a state of shutdown since 2007. Within the first 12 months of its closure, ANSTO removed the reactor fuel and control arms, and drained the heavy water that cooled the reactor core,” Mr Wheeler said.
“The job at hand for now is to remove only the internal infrastructure and radioactive components inside the 21-metre-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.
“A driving factor in starting the decommissioning work was to take advantage of the collective knowledge of the HIFAR team, many of whom are now approaching retirement. So it’ll be a fitting send-off for the decades spent working with such an iconic piece of Australia’s scientific and engineering history.”
Waste Management and Future Phases

The greatest majority of the waste generated from Phase A will be solid waste that can be safely recycled after its final characterisation. The small quantity of radiological waste will be managed and stored safely onsite at Lucas Heights in their purpose-built facilities. Any hazardous (non-radiological) waste such as lead and lead-based paints, will be disposed of offsite at a purpose-built facility.
Phase B will see the decommissioning of the reactor core, subject to further licence approvals with ARPANSA and a future national waste disposal pathway.

Scientific Legacy and Timeline

The facility housed six of Australia’s first neutron beam instruments, used for scientific investigations in chemistry, medicine, materials science, and environmental science. Today, the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering sits adjacent to the OPAL multi-purpose reactor. Its 15 neutron beam instruments enable researchers and industry partners to study the structure and dynamics of atoms and molecule samples, such as polymers, proteins, and viruses.
The HIFAR decommissioning project for Stage 1 of Phase A is expected to be completed by 2026. It will also mark the second research reactor decommissioned in-house at ANSTO, following the successful decommissioning and dismantling of the Moata reactor in 2012, which safely operated for 24 years until 1995.

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⏰ Published on: March 04, 2025