Mum’s the word on mystery Dounreay pillboxes
NUCLEAR industry chiefs are keeping tight-lipped about the latest in a recent series of security upgrades at Dounreay.
The first of a planned cluster of guard posts, resembling Second World War machine gun nests, has become established just inside the main gate which leads on to the licensed site.
Commonly known as pillboxes, the structures consist of a raised platform and concrete shelter with sandbags piled around them. It is understood they are designed to be deployed during an incident when the security of the former fast reactor complex is compromised from outside.
But site licence company, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, is keeping the public in the dark about what exactly the lookalike defensive positions will be used for and how much they cost.
A DSRL spokeswoman said earlier this week: “I can confirm that the structures are part of the site’s security enhancements but unfortunately we can’t reveal any further details.”

The John O’Groat Journal is led to believe there could be up to six of these emplacements placed within the controlled part of the site where access is restricted.
Security has been a high priority for all of the civil reactor sites controlled by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in America in 2001.
A new electric security fence installed a year ago is thought to have cost up to £10 million although a figure has never been confirmed.
Prior to that, the road layout on the approach to the site was changed to zig-zag, reportedly to improve anti-vehicle security. A checking area for transport going onto the site was also installed while personnel were subject to new access protocols.
The NDA claims to have no knowledge of the new guard posts at Dounreay or of any similar upgrades taking place at any of the other British nuclear sites and could not provide a figure for the site’s security spending this year.
Spending on security comes out of the annual funding the quango allocates to the nuclear site operators and is not covered by a special allocation.