Visit to UK facility focuses on safe nuclear decommissioning

The Sellafield Engineering Centre of Excellence in Cumbria welcomed the delegation to highlight how off-site innovation and solutions can address challenges at Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) sites across the UK.

The visit, part of a knowledge-sharing initiative facilitated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), involved a tour of the centre in Cleator Moor. The US delegation were shown how teams at the Centre of Excellence employ various technologies, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Virtual Reality (VR), and 3D printing. These are used both for tasks at the Sellafield site and to train engineers prior to implementing solutions in nuclear environments.

During the visit, Spot, a quadruped robot dog, patrolled the centre, demonstrating its capability to capture and relay real-time data to operators. This showcased how such robots could be programmed to conduct routine monitoring or security tasks on-site.

Other innovations shared during the tour, such as the use of drones and ROVs to survey difficult-to-access areas, were reported to have saved millions of pounds and accelerated decommissioning efforts by several years. These technologies have also enhanced safety by reducing the need for personnel in air-fed suits to enter hazardous environments.

“This visit was arranged to provide the US Department of Energy an overview and understanding of the hazards and risks associated with the Sellafield site and to explain the regulatory approach adopted by the ONR," said Paul Dicks, Director of Regulation, Sellafield Decommissioning Fuel and Waste. “We have been able to share information on joint regulatory challenges and explore opportunities in relation to future work activities to foster improvements in the regulation and delivery of decommissioning.”

The US delegation also learned that the solutions developed at Cleator Moor are not only applied at Sellafield but are also being used at other NDA sites, including Trawsfynydd in Wales and Dounreay in Scotland.

Craig Branney, Sellafield Ltd’s Head of Off Site Developments, who hosted the visitors on a walking tour of the Centre of Excellence, said: “When it comes to nuclear clean-up around the world, we are all part of the same nuclear family. It’s important we share with, and learn from, the international community and we were delighted to be given the opportunity to show our visitors from the US Department of Energy what we do here.

“We have an open door here at the Centre of Excellence and we want to share and collaborate and learn, whether that’s with international partners, the supply chain, or the local community. We hope visits like this lead to more knowledge sharing in the future.”

The delegation also heard about the centre’s outreach efforts, which involve taking technology demonstrations into schools and colleges to inspire young people about the possibilities in engineering and potential future careers.

“The innovation that we have seen here today is incredible. I love the model and the way they also reach out to the community and involve young minds. If anyone from the US Department of Energy were to come over here in the future I would want them to see this facility," concluded Garrett Smith, US Department of Energy Director of Nuclear Safety.