Landmark dome at Douneray nuclear power station likely to be demolished.
Some had suggested it be turned in to a museum, a hotel or even a nightclub. Others had wanted its unmistakable outline to remain against the Caithness skyline as a monument to an age when the area pioneered the search for cheap power. However, the likelihood now seems that the landmark dome at Dounreay will be demolished.
It is 32 years since the reactor it housed last produced power, and 55 years since construction of Dounreay began. Now the body involved in the restoration of the vast site has identified removal as a key option.
Retaining the dome was always going to be expensive. It will cost several million pounds to decontaminate and maintenance costs would be in the region of £100,000 a year plus an additional £500,000 every ten years for painting, so its removal will be seen by many as the only realistic outcome.
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