NSG AWARDED RRHF CONTRACT AT RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY

NSG Environmental Ltd selected to deliver key strategic facility which will accommodate a wide range of tasks associated with the clean-up of radioactive waste from legacy facilities and current operations at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.

KEY BULLET POINTS

• Key strategic Remote Retrieval and Handling Facility (RRHF) will facilitate sustainable management of radioactive wastes from current and future activities at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL).
• NSG will deliver the complete turnkey facility from concept design right through the whole project lifecycle to site acceptance testing and operator training.
• Modular construction methods aim to reduce project carbon footprint and enable cost efficiencies in both the build and decommissioning of the facility.

The pioneering work at RAL in areas such as particle physics, scientific computing, laser development, space research and technology addresses some of the most important challenges facing society. RAL is located on the Harwell Campus in Didcot, Oxfordshire, and is funded and managed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) one of the constituent councils of United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI). STFC supports research in astronomy, physics, and space science, and operates world-class research facilities for the UK.

Following the contract award, NSG started work in early 2024 on the provision of a RRHF at RAL that will facilitate a range of tasks requiring remote handling operation.

The RRHF forms part of a wider programme in place across the Harwell Campus to sustainably manage radioactive wastes from current and future activities at RAL. This radioactive waste needs to be safely managed and disposed of in compliance with legislation and government policy. The RRHF will be a specialist facility which will allow handling of radioactive waste, primarily in preparation for disposal, but also facilitating sampling, size reduction, post irradiation examination, maintenance and other tasks involving radioactive materials.

To aid the management of risks posed by radiation and radioactive contamination, the RRHF will have two key working areas: the de-lidding cell is used for performing non-invasive tasks requiring radiological shielding; the active cell is used for performing invasive tasks requiring shielding and containment such as material sampling and size reduction.

NSG will deliver the complete turnkey facility from concept design right through the whole project lifecycle to site acceptance testing and operator training. The technical capabilities of NSG’s partners, including sister company NIS Ltd, will be used throughout each stage while working collaboratively with STFC to realise all project objectives.

NSG plan to utilise modular construction methods, with pre-cast concrete sections being used to construct the shield walls and roof. This approach aims to reduce the projects overall carbon footprint compared to traditional manufacturing techniques and provide the benefit of being more cost-effective while minimising the amount of complexity during the site implementation. The approach will also maximise the ability for the facility to be easily decommissioned in a safe and controlled manner once waste processing operations have been completed, without the need for specialised tooling or the breaking of the concrete shielding.

Andy Deall, NSG’s Operations Director, said:

“I am extremely proud of our team for securing this strategic project. As a proven integrator within the nuclear industry, our selection shows our client’s confidence in our abilities to lead our team of partners through project delivery in a manner that is both predictable and compliant to the needs of our customer.”

ABOUT NSG ENVIRONMENTAL LTD

We are the nuclear industry’s preferred partner for engineering, waste management and decommissioning solutions. Our four decades of proven delivery and technical expertise are underpinned by our values-led and people-oriented working culture, which enables us to attract and retain the best talent. We are a project delivery business and work in collaboration with our clients and partner companies to drive value, deliver what we promise and safely solve some of the nuclear industry’s most complex and challenging problems. More information is available at www.nsgltd.com.

ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES COUNCIL (STFC)

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the UK’s largest public funder of research into particle and nuclear physics, astronomy and astrophysics, and space science. We operate five national laboratories across the UK which, supported by a network of additional research facilities, increase our understanding of the world around us and develop innovative technologies in response to pressing scientific and societal challenges. We also facilitate UK involvement in a number of international research activities including CERN, the James Webb Space Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory. More information is available at www.ukri.org/councils/stfc.

MEDIA CONTACTS

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Full Story: NSG Awarded RRHF Contract at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory - NSG Environmental (nsgltd.com)