New underground containers for radioactive waste at Dounreay have been highly praised at Scotland’s engineering “Oscars”.
The Caithness plant’s low level waste containment facility was given a commendation at the Saltire Society’s civil engineering awards.
The event highlights excellence in Scottish civil engineering.
The vaults have been designed to house up to 175,000 cubic metres of low level radioactive waste from the plant’s decommissioning.
However, the functional Dounreay project lost out to a more artistic winning entry – the Helix development in Falkirk.
The visitor attraction has been made famous for its Kelpie sculptures.
The refurbishment of the Kessock Bridge was also included on the shortlist.
So far two of the 36ft deep underground vaults at Dounreay have been constructed out of a possible six.
Judges praised designer Mott MacDonald of Northern Irish contractors Graham’s for delivering a “safe and environmentally effective” solution to dealing with the waste.
Judges noted the use of blasting rather than the mechanical removal of rock in creating the vaults, as well as a reconfigured design which will allow the remaining vaults to be constructed adjacent to the first phase.
This will reduce the overall size of the development.
A spokeswoman for Dounreay said: “Low-active waste created during the operation of the site was disposed of in a series of shallow pits, until they became full in the 1990s.
“The site consulted in 2003 on what should happen to up to 175,000 cubic metres of low-active waste expected to arise during the decommissioning phase.
“Planning permission was granted in 2009 for up to six underground vaults adjacent to the eastern perimeter of the site, capable of taking the existing and future low-active waste as more of the site is decommissioned.
“Northern Irish company Graham started work on a £15million contract to build the first two vaults in November 2011.
“These vaults are now complete and will take solid low-active waste from the site once the necessary approvals from SEPA are received.”
Other highly commended projects included the new SSE Hydro in Glasgow and the £100million refit of Waverley Station In Edinburgh.
Convenor of the awards panel, Gordon Pomphrey praised the Helix as an “iconic must see visitor attraction”:
He added: “Congratulations must also go to the five commended projects, each one outstanding in what it has been able to achieve, brilliantly demonstrating civil engineering in Scotland at its best.”