£150,000 to research impacts of volcanic ash on UK nuclear sites

Press release issued: 16 October 2014 The likelihood and potential impacts of volcanic ash on nuclear generating sites in the UK will be investigated by researchers from the University of Bristol in partnership with EDF Energy, thanks to a £150,000 grant from the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC). The project will quantify the likelihood of volcanic ash being deposited on UK nuclear sites from volcanoes surrounding the UK, including Iceland, Italy and Greece, and as far away as the Azores and Canary Islands. The research will characterise the impact of ash on site structures, components and operations, and estimate the transport time of ash to the UK for different weather patterns and conditions. The University of Bristol team includes staff from the Schools of Earth Sciences and Mathematics , and the Cabot Institute. The EDF Energy team is drawn from Safety, Research and Development and Meteorology specialists. Project Principal Investigator Dr Jeremy Phillips said: "This project is a truly multidisciplinary exchange of new knowledge between academic scientists and safety and hazard professionals within the power generation sector. The results will help inform preparedness for protecting and maintaining power supplies during future volcanic events." The project will use volcano history information from previous research initiatives led by Bristol scientists, including the Global Volcano Model project, and computer simulations to predict volcanic ash dispersal.