Magnox is asking for the public to share their views on one of biggest projects to take place at Trawsfynydd.

Public engagement events and an online exhibition have been organised to seek feedback on possible options for the decommissioning of the site’s ponds complex.

A Magnox spokesperson said: “We are asking for your views on one of biggest projects the site will complete as it prepares to decommission the ponds complex, a collection of 38 buildings constructed more than 50 years ago to process and dispatch spent fuel from the reactors and undertake waste storage and processing operations.

“No decisions have yet been taken – as part of preparatory work to decommission the ponds complex, we have engaged in robust conversations with our communities for the past seven years.

“We are committed to ensuring our plans are informed by the opinions and views of our stakeholders, and we will continue these conversations with them as we progress sustainable options for decommissioning at Trawsfynydd.”

The public can engage by visiting the online exhibition at magnoxhaveyoursay.com/Trawsfynydd/

“The original plan for decommissioning the ponds complex was to remove all radioactivity above levels of regulatory limits from the structures for off-site disposal, and then to demolish to ground level and backfill any voids with new material, which would be brought into the site from elsewhere.

“After trialling new regulatory guidance developed by the three UK environment agencies, which allows operators like Magnox to consider, with stakeholders, the best option for disposing of lightly contaminated radioactive wastes, leaving some of these structures in place is considered a viable option for the site.

“We are seeking your views on this option for decommissioning the complex, which would still leave the below ground structure in-situ but instead back-fill the void with suitable rubble from the demolition of the above ground structure, prior to topping the area with a concrete cap to enable reuse of the land to support further decommissioning of the site.

We believe the benefits of this approach are:

• reduced health and safety risks during decommissioning

• reduced environmental impact from issues such as diminished lorry movements

• reduced worker and public dose during decommissioning

• significant cost savings for the UK taxpayer

An in-person drop-in session took place at Penrhyndeudraeth Memorial Hall on Wednesday, 12 July, between 3pm and 8pm.

The public can also visit an unstaffed exhibition at Porthmadog Library until 17 July, Dolgellau Library from 17 to 24 July, Harlech Library and Institute from 24 to 31 July, or Bala library from 31 July to 7 August.