The NDA is a non-departmental public body responsible for the decommissioning and cleaning of nuclear facilities within the UK. The DRP framework is the NDA’s strategic portfolio and involves Research and Development (R&D) activities targeting innovative decommissioning methods and technologies to support the development of key technical skills fundamental to the NDA’s decommissioning initiative. The DRP is shared by a series of consortia involving established nuclear companies, global cross-sector corporations, UK universities, national laboratories, plus small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Recently, three new R&D contracts, worth up to £25million, have been awarded to look for innovative solutions to the technical challenges of delivering the NDA’s decommissioning projects. The contracts will run for 4 years, replacing the previous DRP’s awarded in 2016, and follow a 6-month procurement process.
In the UK, Veolia Nuclear Solutions is a specialist in remote handling and robotic technologies with expertise in thermal treatment. Our team is part of two winning consortia in the Integrated Waste Management & Site Decommissioning and Remediation area of the framework.
The first consortium is led by Galson Sciences Ltd, Veolia Nuclear Solutions’ contribution will be to build on previous demonstrations with the National Nuclear Laboratories at their central lab at Sellafield, leveraging Veolia Nuclear Solutions’ patented GeoMelt® vitrification technology.
The second consortium Veolia Nuclear Solutions is part of is led by NSG Environmental Ltd. Our experts will help drive innovation in the industry, contributing to advanced technologies and knowledge in the areas of robotics, remote handling and thermal waste treatment technologies.