| Description | Papers of Brian Leonard Eyre generated during his time as Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), and privatisation of UKAEA to create AEA Technology. Inlcudes a presentation volume of photographs given to Eyre on his retirment from the UKAEA, photographs include images of events attended as well as internal and external views of nuclear facilities including scientists at work and equipment, such as control rods, in situ.
Papers also relate to Eyre's teaching of material science and research into nuclear technology, especially electron microscopy and radiation damage to metal and alloys. The collection also covers Eyre's international consultancy work for the nuclear industry, especially in Japan, including reports and commentary on the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor in South Africa, and Eyre's roles with nuclear safety and regulatory bodies such as INSS.
Many of the papers are speeches, lectures and presentations given by Eyre with his scripts and images. There are 35mm slides stored in ring binders and photographs of Brian Eyre with peers and colleagues at various professional events. |
| AdminHistory | See memoir of Brian Eyre in 'Biographical Momoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society', volume 62, 2016. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbm.2016.0016
The UK Atomic Energy Authority was formed in 1954 when the British Government set up a new body to oversee the nation’s nuclear research programme. The role was to provide Britain’s atomic weapons deterrent and develop reactor technologies for the nuclear power stations of the future.
Early achievements included the opening of the world’s first full-scale nuclear power station at Calder Hall - which led to the construction of ten further Magnox stations - and the Dounreay Fast Reactor, which went critical in 1959.
UKAEA was also exploring the potential of nuclear fusion, and opened a purpose-built fusion laboratory at Culham in 1960.
From 1965, UKAEA branched out into commercial and non-nuclear activities to take advantage of spin-off potential from nuclear technology. The atomic research programme also continued, with UKAEA leading plans for new reactor types including advanced gas-cooled reactors and fast reactors.
A reorganisation of the UK’s civil nuclear industry in the early 1970s saw changes to UKAEA’s structure and role. The transfer of responsibilities in weapons research, fuel production, isotope production and radiological protection to other organisations allowed us to focus on our research mission.
Commercial activities continued to grow across the sites, with Harwell alone generating £50 million per year from over 1,200 contracts by 1985. They covered a diverse range of areas, from space tribology to petroleum services and reactor safety testing. AEA Technology was formed in 1989 to act as the UKAEA’s commercial arm, and was eventually privatised in 1996.
The civil nuclear programme ended with the closure of the Prototype Fast Reactor at Dounreay in 1994. UKAEA had already turned its attention to a new task - that of restoring the environment of its sites as reactors finished operating.
In April 2005 the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) was formed to take responsibility for the UK’s civil nuclear clean-up programme. UKAEA became a contractor to the NDA for management of decommissioning at Dounreay, Harwell, Windscale, Winfrith and the JET facilities at Culham. Also in 2005, the Government approved the Authority’s plans to expand and compete for wider business.
In April 2008, UKAEA Limited was formed as a commercial arm, subsidiary company Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) was licensed by the NII, and the Windscale site was merged into the newly licensed Sellafield Limited. This was followed in February 2009 by the licensing of subsidiary company Research Sites Restoration Limited (RSRL), covering the Harwell and Winfrith sites.
Following a sale process announced by Government in March 2009, UKAEA Limited, together with its subsidiary companies DSRL and RSRL, were sold to Babcock International Group PLC on 31st October 2009. (Information from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority/about) |