Page 27 - Beyond Decommissioning

8 Beyond Decommissioning

Fig. 1.7 Garigliano NPP, Italy
stack and reactor sphere. Note:
while the reactor sphere will be
preserved, the stack in the
middle of the picture was
dismantled in November 2017.
Photo by M. Laraia (2016).

be eventually demolished, regardless its landmark status: the cost of maintenance
(e.g., periodically repainting the huge structure subject to heavy corrosion by the adja-
cent sea) was considered unacceptably high, and other preservation options (e.g.,
hotel, museum, and even nightclub) considered unrealistic (BBC, 2017). The fate
of the Dounreay dome was eventually sealed following a comprehensive options study
and the participation of many stakeholders.
The esthetic, historic, and cultural values of old buildings, facilities, and sites are
not the only arguments eventually imposing conservation (a form of “freezing” their
conditions, which can be regarded by some as a burden, a nuisance, and a cost); in fact,
redevelopment should be viewed as a broader opportunity than the mere conservation.
Over the last few decades, redevelopment of obsolete industrial sites has gained exten-
sive support due to factors as follows:
Upgrading environmental and human health standards
l
Removing the stigma associated with environmental contamination
l
Reversing unemployment trends. Skills are typically available at existing industrial sites that
l
can be reemployed for new uses
l Creating new environmental jobs
l Increasing property values and related tax revenues