‘Important step forward’ at Sellafield as North West firms scoop £3m container contracts

Two North West businesses have secured multi-million pound container contracts in the vital clean-up work taking place at Sellafield.

The deal will see Cumbrian firm TSP Engineering Ltd and Daresbury-based Cavendish Nuclear supply containers for the decommissioning of the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS).

The companies’ 50-tonne containers will be used in moving radioactive material from the MSSS to new on-site treatment and storage facilities.

Stage one of the project, worth around £3m to each business, involves both firms manufacturing a single package for testing. Eventually, 15 will be used help to decommission and clean up the MSSS.

The MSSS was constructed in the 1960s and comprises 22 compartments for storing the UK’s nuclear waste. Each compartment is large enough to fit six double-decker buses.

Sellafield Ltd’s supply chain director, Martin Chown, said: “At Sellafield, we are dedicated to cleaning up our legacy facilities as safely, quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

“At the same time, we want to make sure our local communities, and the UK as a whole, experience the social and economic benefits of all our procurements.”

He added: “I’m delighted that the contract has gone to two UK-based companies. The fact that one is based close to our site in West Cumbria shows the strength of the nuclear supply chain in the region.”

The NDA’s head of supply chain for the NDA, Ron Gorham, commented: “This agreement marks an important step forward, not just for Sellafield as it begins to clean out one of its most hazardous facilities, but also in underlining the important contribution of the supply chain both locally and for the UK.

“Three machines are currently being constructed above the compartments which will move along the building clearing out the waste –it will then be transferred to new buildings at Sellafield for treatment and interim storage, ahead of final disposal in a UK Geological Disposal Facility.”

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