News story

Contract for world鈥檚 deepest nuclear clean-up awarded

Dounreay has awarded a major contract as the world鈥檚 deepest nuclear clean-up job gets underway.

The 65 metre deep shaft where advanced transition works will begin

Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL), on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, awarded the 拢7.5 million contract for 鈥渁dvanced transition works鈥 at the 65 metre deep shaft and silo to Nuvia and its partner Graham Construction, through the site鈥檚 decommissioning framework following a competitive tendering process. Nuvia is an international nuclear engineering, project management, products and services contractor.

The work will include the rerouting of existing services as well as minor construction and demolition works, preparing the 2 waste facilities to be emptied of legacy higher activity waste.

DSRL Programme Delivery Director, David Hubbard, said:

The shaft and silo contain solid waste and sludge which must be retrieved and repackaged for safe above-ground storage. I鈥檓 very pleased that we are one step closer to the clean up of these historic waste facilities through the award of this contract.

Physical work on site is expected to take place in late autumn 2020. In the meantime the company has been delivering activities remotely.

DSRL is the site licence company responsible for the clean-up and demolition of Britain鈥檚 former centre of fast reactor research and development. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cavendish Dounreay Partnership, it is funded by the NDA to deliver the site closure programme.

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Published 9 September 2020