Springfields
{{Short description|Nuclear site in Lancashire, England}}
{{for-multi|the British folk/pop group featuring Dusty Springfield|The Springfields|the fictional power plant in The Simpsons|Springfield Nuclear Power Plant|the shopping centre|Springfields Outlet Shopping & Leisure|the theme park|Springfields Fun Park}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox factory
| name = Springfields
| image = Westinghouse Factory (BNF) on Deepdale Lane (geograph 6064540).jpg
| caption = View from Deepdale Lane
| built = 1940 (as munitions factory); 1946 (as nuclear fuels facility)
| location = Salwick, Lancashire, England
| location_map = Lancashire
| coordinates = {{coord|53|46|39|N|2|48|29|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| industry = Nuclear fuel
| products = oxide fuels; uranium hexafluoride
| employees = 800{{cite web|title=Legal|url=https://westinghousenuclear.com/uknuclear/about/legal/|accessdate=10 December 2024}}
| architect =
| style =
| area =
| volume =
| address = Springfields Fuels Limited, Westinghouse, Springfields, Salwick, Preston PR4 0XJ
| defunct =
}}
Springfields is a nuclear fuel production installation in Salwick, near Preston in Lancashire, England ({{gbmapping|SD468315}}). The site is currently operated by Springfields Fuels Limited, under the management of Westinghouse Electric UK Limited, on a 150-year lease from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/westinghouse-bankruptcy-is-the-future-of-uk-nuclear-power-in-uk-doubt-toshiba-a7658001.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/westinghouse-bankruptcy-is-the-future-of-uk-nuclear-power-in-uk-doubt-toshiba-a7658001.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Westinghouse bankruptcy: Is the future of nuclear power in the UK in doubt? |first=Ben |last=Chapman |newspaper=The Independent |date=30 March 2017 |accessdate=31 March 2017}} Since its conversion from a munitions factory in 1946, it has previously been operated and managed by a number of different organisations including the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and British Nuclear Fuels.{{cite web|title=Westinghouse|url=http://www.nuclearsites.co.uk/page.php?pageID=85|work=Westinghouse website on nuclear sites|accessdate=16 December 2011}} Fuel products are produced for the UK's nuclear power stations and for international customers.{{cite news |url=https://www.neimagazine.com/features/featurespringfields-what-next-7911185/ |title=Springfields: what next? |publisher=Nuclear Engineering International |date=7 May 2020 |access-date=22 May 2020}}
Activities on the site
The site has been making nuclear fuels since the mid-1940s. The site is notable for being the first nuclear plant in the world to produce Magnox fuel for a commercial power station (Calder Hall).
The four main activities carried out on the site are:{{cite web |url=http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/Portals/2/Documents/Brochure%20Nuclear_Leaflet_04.pdf |title=Nuclear Fuel Manufacture at Springfields |publisher=Wesinghouse |year=2014 |format=PDF brochure |accessdate=2 April 2017}}
- Production of oxide fuels for advanced gas-cooled and light water reactors, as well as intermediate fuel products (uranium dioxide powders, granules, and pellets)
- Production of uranium hexafluoride, or "hex"
- Processing of fuel-cycle residues
- Decommissioning and demolition of redundant plants and buildings
At its peak the site employed 4000 people, but reduced demand and increased automation saw this fall to about 800 by 2020.
In December 2022 Westinghouse received a £13 million grant from the UK government to explore the development of Uranium Conversion Services at the site.{{cite web |title=Westinghouse Receives UK Government Grant to Explore Uranium Conversion Services |url=https://info.westinghousenuclear.com/news/westinghouse-beis-award}}
Protests
Protests have been held at the site against the production of nuclear waste. In the 1980s there were also protests against apartheid, due to the use of uranium imported from Namibia.
Future of the plant
Decommissioning activities have so far resulted in 87 buildings on the site having been fully demolished.{{cite web|title=Nuclear Decommissioning Agency|url=http://www.nda.gov.uk/sites/springfields|work=Decommissioning at Springfields site|accessdate=16 December 2011}} A Clean Energy Technology Park (CETP) has been set up to encourage new companies to operate on the site.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Nuclear power in the United Kingdom}}
{{Borough of Fylde buildings}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Chemical plants of the United Kingdom
Category:Nuclear research institutes in the United Kingdom
Category:Nuclear technology in the United Kingdom
Category:Organisations based in Lancashire
Category:Nuclear weapons infrastructure of the United Kingdom