Map of UK Nuclear Sites
Nuclear power is a significant component of the United Kingdom’s energy mix, providing a stable and low-carbon source of electricity. The UK has a long history with nuclear energy, and its fleet of reactors supplies around 15-20% of the country’s electricity. The government has been committed to expanding nuclear capacity to meet future energy demands and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. New projects, such as Hinkley Point C and the proposed Sizewell C, are pivotal to this strategy. However, challenges include high costs, long construction times, and public concern over safety and waste management. Despite these issues, nuclear power remains crucial for the UK’s sustainable energy future. Find out where the country’s nuclear sites are located, and what goes on at each of them, on our interactive map of UK nuclear sites.
Quick Guide to using the Map of UK Nuclear Sites
MAP – Click and drag to move the map around. Hold Ctrl and use the mouse wheel to zoom in or out. Alternatively use the zoom buttons in the top right corner.
POINTS – Points are coloured based on the current status a nuclear site is in.
COUNTER – The counter in the top left displays the number of nuclear sites under each status. Clicking on a specific phase counter lets you see only sites that fall within that category.
POPUPS – Hovering over a specific point on the map will show you a popup containing additional information about the site.
Data
Below is the full data set used to create the UK Nuclear Sites Map. You can use it to look up specific nuclear sites.
Name | Purpose | Latitude | Longitude | Status | Construction Start | Start of Operations | End of Operations | Additional Info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aldermaston | Defence | 51.366709 | -1.146055 | Operational | 1941 | 1950 | / | Research facility responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the UK's nuclear weapons |
Amersham | Medical | 51.666877 | -0.578186 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1946 | 2019 | Manufacturer of radiopharmaceutical products |
Atlas | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1952 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Aldermaston |
Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) / Harwell Laboratory | Research Site | 51.581 | -1.305 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1946 | / | Main centre for atomic energy research and development in the United Kingdom from 1946 to the 1990s |
Barrow | Defence | 54.1104 | -3.2374 | Operational | Unknown | 1959 | / | Dockyard |
Berkeley | Power Station | 51.6925 | -2.4936 | Decommissioning | 1956 | 1962 | 1989 | 2x Magnox |
BERKELEY Zero Energy | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1966 | Unknown | Graphite at Berkeley |
Bradwell | Power Station | 51.742259 | 0.898296 | Decommissioning | 1957 | 1962 | 2002 | 2x Magnox |
British Experimental Pile Operation (BEPO) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Under decommissioning | Unknown | 1962 | 1968 | Graphite, air pile at Harwell |
Burghfield | Defence | 51.407491 | -1.023788 | Operational | Unknown | 1950s | / | Warhead assembly, maintenance while in service, and decommissioning when out of service |
Calder Hall | Power Station | 54.419746 | -3.492445 | Decommissioning | 1953 | 1956 | 2003 | 4x Magnox |
Capenhurst | Fuel Production | 53.263554 | -2.952064 | Operational | Unknown | 1952 | / | Uranium Enrichment |
Chapelcross | Power Station | 55.0157 | -3.2261 | Decommissioning | 1955 | 1959 | 2004 | 4x Magnox |
CONSORT Reactor Imperial College | Research Reactor | 51.410652 | -0.641076 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1965 | 2012 | Pool |
Deuterium Moderated Pile, Low Energy (DIMPLE) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1962 | Unknown | Pool at Winfrith |
Deuterium Oxide D2O (DIDO) | Research Reactor | 51.568794 | -1.325558 | Under decommissioning | Unknown | 1956 | 1990 | Heavy water |
DIDO and PLUTO's Handmaiden for Nuclear Experiments (DAPHNE) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1962 | Unknown | Heavy water at Harwell |
Dounreay | Research Site | 58.58009 | -3.74368 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1955 | 1994 | Development site for civil fast breeder reactors, and the Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment (NRTE), a military submarine reactor testing facility |
Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) | Research Reactor | 58.580345 | -3.745628 | Under decommissioning | Unknown | 1959 | 1977 | Fast breeder reactor |
Dounreay Materials Test Reactor (DMTR) | Research Reactor | 58.58325 | -3.739065 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1958 | 1969 | Heavy water |
Dounreay Submarine Prototype 1 (DSMP1) | Research Reactor | 58.57646 | -3.75694 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1963 | 1987 | Testing of Submarine PWR cores |
Dragon | Research Reactor | 50.684 | -2.2694 | Under decommissioning | 1960 | 1964 | 1976 | He cooled |
Drigg | Waste Management | 54.379444 | -3.456944 | Operational | Unknown | 1959 | / | Low Level Waste Repository |
Dungeness A | Power Station | 50.913176 | 0.964227 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1965 | 2006 | 2x Magnox |
Dungeness B | Power Station | 50.913836 | 0.959962 | Defuelling | 1965 | 1983 | 2021 | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
ERIC | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1952 | Unknown | Crit fast at Aldermaston |
First Generation Magnox Storage Pond (FGMSP) | Waste Management | 54.42287 | -3.497455 | Decommissioning | 1950s | Unknown | Unknown | Reception and storage of irradiated fuel from Magnox reactors. Removal of fuel cladding prior to fuel being processed. |
First Generation Reprocessing | Waste Management | 54.421944 | -3.501111 | Decommissioning | Early 1950s | Unknown | 1970s | First stage of reprocessing fuel from the Windscale Pile Reactors |
Floc Storage Tanks | Waste Management | 54.419724 | -3.503333 | Decommissioning | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Liquid effluents produced as a result of reprocessing operations were historically held in these large concrete tanks |
Fuel Handling Plant | Waste Management | 54.41616 | -3.49561 | Operational | Unknown | Unknown | / | Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) fuel is dismantled |
Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile (GLEEP) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1947 | 1990 | Graphite at Harwell |
Hartlepool | Power Station | 54.635 | -1.180833 | Operational | 1968 | 1983 | / | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
HERALD | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1960 | Unknown | Pool at Aldermaston |
Heysham 1 | Power Station | 54.029917 | -2.91734 | Operational | 1970 | 1983 | / | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
Heysham 2 | Power Station | 54.027696 | -2.915194 | Operational | 1980 | 1988 | / | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
High Level Waste Tanks | Waste Management | 54.42065 | -3.49718 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Hinkley Point A | Power Station | 51.2087 | -3.1337 | Decommissioning | 1957 | 1965 | 2000 | 2x Magnox |
Hinkley Point B | Power Station | 51.209 | -3.1275 | Defuelling | 1967 | 1976 | 2022 | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
Hinkley Point C | Power Station | 51.2059 | -3.1429 | Under Construction | 2017 | / | / | 2x EPR |
HMNB Clyde | Defence | 56.066111 | -4.8175 | Operational | Unknown | 1942 | / | Naval Base |
HMNB Devonport | Defence | 50.383 | -4.183 | Operational | Unknown | 1970s | / | Naval Base |
Homogenous Aqueous Zero Energy Level (HAZEL) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1957 | Unknown | Homog (L) at Harwell |
HORACE | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1958 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Aldermaston |
Hot Enriched Carbon-moderated Thermal Oscillator Reactor (HECTOR) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1963 | Unknown | Zero power htd at Winfrith |
Hot Experimental Reactor of O(Zero) Power (HERO) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1962 | Unknown | Graphite AGR at Seascale |
Hunterston A | Power Station | 55.720278 | -4.896667 | Decommissioning | 1957 | 1964 | 1990 | 2x Magnox |
Hunterston B | Power Station | 55.7221 | -4.8901 | Defuelling | 1967 | 1976 | 2022 | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) TRIGA Reactor | Research Reactor | 54.59107 | -1.2607 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1971 | 1988 | TRIGA Mark I |
JASON | Research Reactor | 51.4825 | -0.0062 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1959 | 1999 | Argonaut |
Joint European Torus (JET) | Research Reactor | 51.659167 | -1.226389 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1983 | 2023 | Nuclear Fusion Research Reactor |
JUNO | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1964 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Winfrith |
LIDO | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1956 | 1974 | Pool at Harwell |
Lillyhall | Waste Management | 54.613205 | -3.511478 | Operational | Unknown | 2009 | / | Waste Recycling |
Low Active Effluent Plants | Waste Management | 54.419724 | -3.500556 | Operational | Unknown | Unknown | / | Reduction of waste volumes arising as part of current activities as well as historic operations |
Magnox Encapsulation Plant | Waste Management | 54.41507 | -3.4938 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Processing of solid, intermediate-level radioactive waste and packaging it into a convenient form which provides for efficient and simple handling, transport and storage. |
Magnox Reprocessing | Waste Management | 54.4231 | -3.50248 | Decommissioning | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Reprocessing spent nuclear fuel from the Magnox reactors |
Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) | Waste Management | 54.422155 | -3.497035 | Operational | 1960s | Unknown | / | Built at Sellafield to accommodate the swarf waste produced by the Magnox fuel decanning operations |
Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) | Research Reactor | 51.659167 | -1.230556 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1999 | 2013 | Nuclear Fusion Research Reactor |
MERLIN | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1959 | Unknown | Pool at Aldermaston |
MOX Demonstration Utility | Fuel Production | 54.42556 | -3.49988 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Neptune | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Operational | Unknown | 1963 | / | Pool at Raynesway, Derby |
Neutron Source Thermal Reactor (NESTOR) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1961 | Unknown | Argonaut at Harwell |
Old Reprocessing Plant | Waste Management | 54.42205 | -3.50359 | Decommissioning | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Oldbury | Power Station | 51.6489 | -2.5708 | Decommissioning | 1967 | 1968 | 2012 | 2x Magnox |
Open fuel storage pond | Waste Management | 54.42378 | -3.49985 | Decommissioning | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Panther | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1961 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
Phoenix | Research Reactor | Dounreay | Dounreay | Decommissioned | Dounreay | 1960 | Dounreay | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
PILE 1 | Research Reactor | 54.424564 | -3.500121 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1950 | 1957 | Air-cooled graphite-moderated nuclear reactor |
PILE 2 | Research Reactor | 54.423503 | -3.496526 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1951 | 1957 | Air-cooled graphite-moderated nuclear reactor |
Pile Fuel Cladding Silo | Waste Management | 54.422455 | -3.495857 | Decommissioning | 1950 | 1952 | Unknown | Reception and safe storage of radioactive fuel cladding from the military project at Windscale |
Pile Fuel Storage Pond | Waste Management | 54.42411 | -3.49837 | Decommissioning | 1940s | Unknown | Unknown | Constructed to receive, cool and decant fuel from the Windscale Piles |
PLUTO | Research Reactor | 51.569708 | -1.32809 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1957 | 1990 | Heavy water |
Plutonium Stores | Waste Management | 54.4237 | -3.504144 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) | Research Reactor | 58.577605 | -3.752837 | Unknown | Unknown | 1975 | 1994 | Pool-type fast breeder reactor, cooled by 1,500 tonnes of liquid sodium and fuelled with MOX |
Puma | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1960 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
QMC Subcritical Assembly | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1959 | Unknown | Subcrit at Stratford Marsh, London |
QMC UTR-B | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1968 | 1982 | Argonaut at Stratford Marsh, London |
Raynesway | Defence | 52.909017 | -1.432387 | Operational | Unknown | 1954 | / | Manufacturing of highly enriched uranium fuel modules and reactor cores for future nuclear powered submarines for the Royal Navy |
RNAD Coulport | Defence | 56.05 | -4.88 | Operational | Unknown | 1968 | / | Warhead Depot |
Rosyth | Defence | 56.020556 | -3.453333 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1984 | / | Dockyard |
Sellafield | Multi-Functional Nuclear Site | 54.421 | -3.5001 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1947 | Various | Nuclear waste processing and storage, and nuclear decommissioning. Former activities included nuclear power generation and nuclear fuel reprocessing. |
Sellafield Mixed Oxide-MOX Plant (SMP) | Fuel Production | 54.41699 | -3.50193 | Decommissioning | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Production of Mixed oxide, or MOX fuel; a blend of plutonium and natural uranium or depleted uranium |
Separation Area Lagoon | Waste Management | 54.421412 | -3.498732 | Decommissioning | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Collection and discharge facility for surface water drainage and pumped groundwater from the Separation Area |
Shore Test Facility (STF) | Research Reactor | 58.57566 | -3.75873 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1987 | 2015 | Testing of Submarine PWR cores |
Sirius | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1961 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
Site Ion Exchange Effluent Plant (SIXEP) | Waste Management | 54.41812 | -3.49482 | Unknown | Unknown | 1985 | Unknown | |
SIXEP Continuity Plant (SCP) | Waste Management | 54.419114 | -3.494322 | Under Construction | 2021 | / | / | |
Sizewell A | Power Station | 52.212341 | 1.619517 | Decommissioning | 1961 | 1966 | 2006 | 2x Magnox |
Sizewell B | Power Station | 52.215293 | 1.619763 | Operational | 1988 | 1995 | / | 1x Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) |
Sizewell C | Power Station | 52.221654 | 1.6194309 | Proposed New Build | / | / | / | 2x EPR |
Sludge Packaging Plant (SPP1) Buffer Store | Waste Management | 54.423373 | -3.499539 | Operational | Unknown | Unknown | / | Receives legacy sludge from the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond and stores it safely, ready for future processing into a product suitable for long term storage or disposal |
Springfields | Fuel Production | 53.7775 | -2.808056 | Operational | Unknown | 1946 | / | Nuclear fuel production |
Tessie | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1959 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) | Waste Management | 54.416111 | -3.500556 | Decommissioning | 1974 | 1994 | 2018 | Nuclear fuel reprocessing plant |
THORP Ponds | Waste Management | 54.414165 | -3.502222 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Toad | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1960 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
Torness | Power Station | 55.96799 | -2.40908 | Operational | 1980 | 1988 | / | 2x Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) |
Trawsfynydd | Power Station | 52.92497 | -3.949474 | Decommissioning | 1959 | 1965 | 1991 | 2x Magnox |
Universities Research Reactor | Research Reactor | 53.427222 | -2.531389 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1964 | 1991 | Argonaut |
UTR-300 | Research Reactor | 55.753577 | -4.1621 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1963 | 1995 | Argonaut |
VERA Nuclear Assembly | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1961 | Unknown | Crit fast at Aldermaston |
VIPER | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Permanent shutdown | Unknown | 1967 | Unknown | Fast burst at Aldermaston |
VULCAN NRTE | Defence | 58.576231 | -3.757767 | Decommissioning | Unknown | 1965 | 2015 | Research |
Waste Treatment Plant | Waste Management | 54.427004 | -3.500027 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Waste Vitrification Plant (WVP) | Waste Management | 54.418888 | -3.498055 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Seals high-level radioactive waste in glass |
Waterfall | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1954 | Unknown | Crit fast at Aldermaston |
Wet Inlet Facility (WIF) | Waste Management | 54.427647 | -3.501738 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Long-term storage of spent fuel rods from nuclear submarines |
Windscale AGR (WAGR) | Research Reactor | 54.425954 | -3.502933 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1962 | 1982 | Graphite AGR |
Winfrith Atomic Energy Establishment | Research Site | 50.684047 | -2.26935 | Decommissioning | 1957 | 1959 | 2021 | Testing of new nuclear reactor designs |
Wylfa | Power Station | 53.417 | -4.483 | Decommissioning | 1963 | 1971 | 2015 | 2x Magnox |
Z-Berth | Defence | 57.827314 | -5.585023 | Operational | Unknown | 1963 | / | Designated for occasional operational or recreational visits by nuclear-powered warships |
ZEBRA | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1962 | Unknown | Crit fast at Winfrith |
Zero Energy Fast Fission Reactor (ZEPHYR) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1954 | Unknown | Crit fast at Harwell |
Zero Energy High Temperature Reactor I (ZENITH I) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1959 | Unknown | Graphite CO2 at Winfrith |
Zero Energy High Temperature Reactor II (ZENITH II) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1972 | Unknown | Graphite at Winfrith |
Zero Energy Thermal Reactor (ZETR) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1957 | Unknown | Crit assembly at Dounreay |
Zero Energy Thermonuclear Assembly (ZETA) | Research Reactor | 51.5799 | -1.3082 | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1957 | 1961 | Nuclear Fusion Research Reactor |
Zero Energy Uranium System (ZEUS) | Research Reactor | Unknown | Unknown | Decommissioned | Unknown | 1955 | Unknown | Crit fast at Harwell |