Just weeks after the Nuclear Installation Inspectorate’s damning criticisms of Sellafield, BNFL has confirmed that damage has been inflicted by saboteurs on equipment at the Vitrification Plant (B355). Wire cables on six giant robotic arms had been deliberaterly cut at the plant where High Level Wastes are vitrified for storage in stainless steel containers. Both NII and United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Police investigators have been called in and will be interviewing workers with access to the building (by swipe card). Over 100 workers have been fingerprinted already in an effort to trace the culprit/s responsible for the damage which was inflicted last week. The plant was closed down for three days for repairs to be made. The six robotic arms, known as Master Slave Manipulators, are automated systems operated from outside the plant, and which permit internal equipment to be moved. In a press response BNFL has said it is taking the issue very seriously even though the manipulators are not safety related equipment. Sellafield worker Unions have condemned the sabotage, and in a letter to workers said that the behaviour of those involved has further damaged their reputation and will clearly create greater doubt about their ability to operate in a safe, efficient and responsible manner. “ Coming so quickly after the problems in the MOX Demonstration Facility, this makes the overall situation extremely serious. In short it supports the view that people working at Sellafield are not trustworthy “. The Unions have called for whistle-blowers to expose the saboteurs. The Vitrification Plant has significantly underperformed since its opening in 1991. The production rate of waste-filled cannisters is below 50% of the production capacity and the plant has been subject to numerous technical problems, accidents and incidents involving worker contamination and evacuation since operations began. In 1993 BNFL was convicted of making unauthorised software modifications which led to the failure of a shield-door inter-lock safety system. In 1997, a significant leak of ruthenium gas from the plant caused radioactive contamination off-site, and sparked a major investigation by NII and the Ministry of Agriculture (see CORE Briefing 13/99). Rapidly earning the reputation of a ‘rogue’ plant, the Vitrification Plant’s poor performance has already been condemned by the NII. Inspectors have told BNFL that unless operating performance improves, and makes greater inroads into the backlog of liquid high level wastes, reprocessing at Sellafield would be stopped. Vitrification is currently carried out on two production lines within the plant. Because targets are not being achieved on these two lines, a new third line has been constructed and is expected to come on stream by the end of this year.