Dounreay awards £400 million contracts for decommissioning work at site

CONTRACTS worth an estimated £400 million have been awarded by Dounreay as part of the ongoing decommissioning of the site.

The work, which will last four years initially but could be extended for an additional three, will include major projects such as the demolition of historic laboratories and the retrieval of radioactive waste from the shaft and silo.

Nuclear material was dumped there from the1950s until an explosion in the shaft ended the practice in 1977. The material will be repackaged and consigned to modern waste facilities.

Dounreay's managing director Martin Moore said: "Six framework contracts have been awarded which bring together the capabilities of at least 28 companies and their supply chains to contribute to delivery of major projects in the years ahead.

"We are looking forward to working with these organisations, which range from small businesses in our local area to some of the industry's largest players, to drive our hazard reduction programme and make progress towards the site's interim end state."

JGC Engineering, which has bases at Harpsdale and Janetstown, is one of the Caithness firms involved. It is part of the Dounreay Decommissioning Framework (DDF) Alliance which includes Cavendish Nuclear and BAM Nuttall. They will now take part in what is described as "mini competitions" for specific work.

JGC director John Campbell said: "As part of the DDF Alliance, we will form part of a strong project delivery solution for the challenges ahead and ensure ongoing development and sustainability for JGC through to and beyond the site interim end state."

Stephen Adamson, head of commercial services at the site, said: "This agreement will deliver real and visible signs of progress towards achieving our mission. It is about forming long-term partnerships so that the successful companies can work alongside our own Dounreay staff, ensuring a first-class team combining the best site skills and experience with the wider industry knowledge and innovation that the supply chain can offer."

The projects are being delivered by Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

In addition to technical submissions, bidders were required to consider how they can help create a positive legacy in Caithness and north Sutherland with a number of plans put forward, including support for Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiatives and small and medium enterprise development schemes.

Dounreay was the UK's centre for experimental fast breeder research and development from 1954 until 1994. It housed three reactors and supporting facilities, including reprocessing plants.

The decommissioning of the site is expected to be completed between 2030 and 2033.

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