Windscale
Sellafield, Cumbria
Reactor Data
Reactor Units
Every power reactor at this site as listed in the IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS): reactor type and model, net electrical capacity, grid connection and commercial operation dates, and current status.
1 unit: 1 permanent shutdown.
| Unit | Type | Model | Net MWe | Construction | Grid | Commercial Op | Shutdown | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windscale AGR | GCR | AGR | 24 | 1958-11-01 | 1963-02-01 | 1963-03-01 | 1981-04-03 | Permanent Shutdown |
Capacity, milestones and suppliers
| Unit | Design MWe | Gross MWe | Thermal MWt | First Criticality | Reactor Supplier | Turbine Supplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windscale AGR | 32 | 36 | 120 | 1962-08-09 | UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY | THE ENGLISH ELECTRIC CO., LTD. |
Lifetime performance, through 2025
| Unit | Electricity Supplied | Load Factor | Energy Availability | Operating Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windscale AGR | 3.3 TWh | 59.8% | 65.4% | 56.8% |
Operator: UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY
Owner: UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY
Source: IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), as of 2026-10-14.
Working Here
Per Diem Rates FY 2026
Per diem covers lodging and meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) for government and contractor travel near this facility. Rates are from the U.S. State Department foreign per diem tables for FY 2026.
$252
Lodging/Night
$108
M&IE/Day
$360
Total/Day
United Kingdom: rate for locations the State Department does not list separately
U.S. Department of State foreign per diem, for U.S. government and contractor travel.
Photos
Photos of this facility from the NukeWorker photo gallery. Click the header or any photo to browse the full album.
![Windscale Map](https://www.nukeworker.com/pictures/albums/Europe/UK/windscale/thumb_DecommissioningEurope_Pic_WAGR.png "Windscale Map
The Sellafield site is built on land that was formerly part of the Windscale nuclear site, which is named after a nearby village. Windscale was owned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Following the breakup of the UKAEA into research (UKAEA) and production (BNFL) arms, part of the site was transferred to BNFL. In 1981 the transferred part of the site was renamed "Sellafield" [1]. The remainder of the site remains in the hands of the UKAEA and is still called Windscale. Two air-cooled, graphite-moderated Windscale reactors constituted the first British weapons grade plutonium 239 production facility, built for the British nuclear weapons program in the late 40s and the 50s.
Keywords: Windscale
2500 views")
![Windscale](https://www.nukeworker.com/pictures/albums/Europe/UK/windscale/thumb_a_Windscale_landscapecropped.jpg "Windscale
The Sellafield site is built on land that was formerly part of the Windscale nuclear site, which is named after a nearby village. Windscale was owned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Following the breakup of the UKAEA into research (UKAEA) and production (BNFL) arms, part of the site was transferred to BNFL. In 1981 the transferred part of the site was renamed "Sellafield". The remainder of the site remains in the hands of the UKAEA and is still called Windscale. Two air-cooled, graphite-moderated Windscale reactors constituted the first British weapons grade plutonium 239 production facility, built for the British nuclear weapons program in the late 40s and the 50s.
Keywords: Windscale
1793 views")
Facility Map
Interactive satellite map showing the facility's geographic location. Marker color indicates current status: green for online, red for offline, orange for reduced power. Click the header to open in Google Maps satellite view.
54.424, -3.49941
Location & Contact
Physical address, phone number, and website for this facility. Use the directions link to get driving directions via Google Maps.