Industry Link - Autumn 2018

MAGAZINE OF THE UK NUCLEAR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION AUTUMN / 2018

NIAUK.ORG

The Nuclear Sector Deal 2 IN CONVERSATION...

HECTOR DOMINGUIS 22 Veolia: A new 8 global player in nuclear clean-up CYBER-SECURITY GUIDE FOR SUPPLY CHAIN 27

2018 | AUTUMN — A

B — AUTUMN | 2018

Welcome to IndustryLink

Hannah Fensome hannah.fensome@niauk.org

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Industry Link and my first as editor.

Many of you will be reading this at party conference – always a great opportunity to make the case for civil nuclear power. Colleagues here at the NIA will be hosting fringe events at both the Labour Party Conference and Conservative Party Conference.

It’s been a busy couple of months for the industry which has been reflected in this edition of Industry Link. In this edition of the magazine, we have a piece from Norman Harrison who is Chair of the NIA Cyber Security Working Group, an article on Sellafield’s Game Changers programme which seeks early stage technologies to help the decommissioning process, and an article on the launch of Veolia Nuclear Systems which has combined the skills and technologies of Oxford Technologies and Kurion Inc to offer a range of technologies and services for nuclear facility restoration and plant decommissioning.

The next edition of Industry Link will be published at our Nuclear 2018 conference, and I hope to meet as many of you as possible between now and then.

IN THIS ISSUE...

SETTING HIGH PAGE 10 STANDARDS IN METAL WASTE RECYCLING

IN VIEW

PAGE 14

PAGE 18

FOCUS ON PAGE 26 INNOVATION

GAME CHANGERS

NIAUK.ORG Follow us: @NIAUK

Editor - Hannah Fensome Art Editor - Dan Powney Contributors - Tom Greatrex, Peter Haslam, Shayne Halfpenny-Ray, Sam Lystor, Norman Harrison, Mark Sharpe – Veolia Nuclear Solutions, Graham Adele – AWE, Ruth Selick – Orano, Ben Chilton – Sellafield Ltd, Kate Atha – NNL, Jo DeBank – ONR, Hector Dominguis – GDES, James Barker – SW Nuclear Hub, with additional thanks to World Nuclear News

Nuclear Industry Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2804518

Press Enquiries Press@niauk.org TEL 020 7766 6640

Registered Office 5th Floor Tower House 10 Southampton Street London WC2E 7HA TEL +44(0)20 7766 6640 EMAIL info@niauk.org

Advertisement Enquiries Press@niauk.org Membership Enquiries Stephanie.McKenna@niauk.org 020 7766 6651

TEL

Cover image: Courtesy of the South West Nuclear Hub This magazine is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, using vegetable based inks.

Industrial Strategy: Nuclear Sector Deal BY. TOM GREATREX

On one of the warmest days of the summer, the long anticipated nuclear sector deal was launched in late June at Trawsfynnyd by Secretary of State Greg Clark, alongside Ministers from both the UK and Welsh governments, local stakeholders, workforce representatives, the media and many of the industry figures who had been part of the pooled effort and determination to develop, propose and agree a deal that will set the future framework for the UK’s nuclear industry.

2 — AUTUMN | 2018

The Industrial Strategy is built on five foundations

C

oming a couple of weeks after the announcement on progress towards the development of a new power station at Wylfa, and the associated government signals to a reformed and refined finance model for subsequent new nuclear power stations, the sector deal marked another indication of the government’s belief that our industry is one of very few well placed to foster growth with high quality jobs and training, provide clean energy, make a significant regional impact and provide real export opportunity.

The essence of a deal, though, is that there are contributions to be made from industry as well as government. With any aspect of generating electricity, no matter what technology or fuel source, there is a high reliance on predictability in the development of public policy.

We can hardly demand policy to be updated, enhanced and refined if, as industry, we do not take just as seriously the opportunity to address some of the challenges facing our sector.

Industry action, and government intervention, can together benefit the economy, drive exports and protect our environment.

It was an impressive cast of people who made the journey to rural north Wales, marking the culmination of more than a year of their combined effort to develop proposals for a sector deal.

Those same individuals and organisations, working to represent the industry through the Nuclear Industry Council and with the support of the NIA, have discussed, developed, agreed and then signed up to a set of targets and commitments that will help shape our activity for the years ahead.

While the nuclear industry was one of the early industrial sectors identified for consideration for a deal, it was far from a foregone conclusion that a sector deal would be agreed by government. From spring 2017, when the NIA held a series of

regional consultation events to discuss and develop ideas for a sector deal; through the deliberations of the Nuclear Industry Council to refine those ideas into a coherent set of proposals which were published last December; an intensive period of discussion with government during the early part of 2018 and, ultimately, fine tuning to produce the deal document which was launched at the end of June.

As much as that was a concerted effort on behalf of a wide range of people who took up the challenge to seek set a trajectory for our industry, and what it can contribute, to 2030 and beyond – the work in many ways will only now begin to happen.

At times in the past across a range of sectors, industry, government and various organisations have worked hard to produce compelling documents, well-researched with detailed analysis and proposals for the future, only to see them launched with great fanfare and then sit on shelves (or whatever the electronic equivalent of shelves are) gathering (literal or metaphorical) dust.

That is as true in the nuclear sector as in many other industries.

There is therefore an understandable desire not to see that happen with the sector deal that so many in industry worked so hard with government to develop and agree.

With a series of commitments in every part of the fuel cycle, then the opportunities can only be fully realised if there is as much focus on delivering the sector deal as there has been in developing it. Crucially, there are very real industrial opportunities in the sector deal, but if industry does not meet our part of the bargain then those opportunities will not be realised. It is important that the sector deal is not seen as something which sits in the background, or happens by default – but rather that it guides the approach of our industry with a keen eye on making sure the commitments made in the deal are met.

2018 | AUTUMN — 3

Our mentality needs to be to also think about the opportunity for the sector as whole – from which individual companies can benefit – as part of a long-term approach, so that by 2030 the core elements of the sector deal can not only be delivered, but seen to be delivered.

It underlines the need for companies and organisations to engage in the wider sector – both for clear, specific business opportunities that will arise, but also for the wider opportunity that can develop from a change of approach, adoption of different technologies and a collaborative approach to maximising the international potential through maintaining, developing and better explaining our world leading expertise in civil nuclear.

For those reasons, the Nuclear Industry Council and wider industry, including small companies, related sectors and other groups such as Women in Nuclear and nucleargraduates, are coming together with government departments to develop an implementation and delivery plan for the sector deal.

The key is to ensure that there is continuing focus and attention on the targets and commitments in the sector deal, and the work that industry needs to do to meet those agreements.

To take one example, a proposal to reduce costs of new build by 30% by 2030, is going to be the result of a series of actions. Some of those are for government, some for developers, some for the

supply chain - and all will benefit from meeting that target.

Similarly, improving diversity amongst our industry - where there has been some real progress in recent years - so that we aim for 40% of our workforce being female will be achieved through a range of measures.

It is about making the sector attractive early enough that encourages young people to study STEM subjects as well as working to present the industry as it is, not as it once was, at events and conferences by consciously avoiding panels and discussions which are all male.

Those are just two examples of where the headline commitments in the sector deal will require concerted effort on behalf of several players.

Without that approach, then the sector deal will rapidly become a wellmeaning document that is superseded by events. Instead, it must be a spur to collaborative and co-operative action across our industry that helps achieve our vision for the future.

The sector deal could be part of the most significant developments in government approach to civil nuclear for more than a decade - whether it will be is largely down to us.

The civil nuclear sector must seize this opportunity and see this as the start of a new era for an emboldened, responsive, innovative industry which is a vital part of the UK’s domestic and international industrial footprint.

The Nuclear Sector aims to deliver:

30

REDUCTION IN NEW BUILD PRO

40% WOMEN IN NUCLEAR 4 — AUTUMN | 2018

MEDIA WATCH

Deal

0%

NEWS

At the beginning of June, Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark updated Parliament on Horizon’s nuclear project at Wylfa Newydd. This was a positive step for the industry as Greg Clark reiterated the government’s support of the project.

THE COST OF OJECTS BY 2030

20%

SAVINGS IN THE COST OF DECOMMISSIONING COMPARED WITH CURRENT ESTIMATES BY 2030

% BY 2030

Government published its Nuclear Sector Deal in June. The ambitious deal between industry and Government is set to ensure nuclear plays a key role in providing the UK’s lowcarbon energy supply for the future, maximising opportunities in overseas markets, leveraging technology and innovation and increasing competitiveness, while signalling our global leadership in nuclear to the rest of the world.

Tom Greatrex wrote an article for Business Green entitled ‘It’s time to talk about solving the decarbonisation challenge’. In the article, Tom discusses the Nuclear Sector Deal, National Grid’s future Energy Scenarios, and the National Infrastructure Commission’s first assessment.

Tom Greatrex wrote a piece on the impact of weather on the electricity generation mix. The cold snap at the end of winter enabled offshore and onshore wind to contribute to our low carbon electricity.

A couple of months later, and several weeks of very low wind speed saw minimal amounts of power generated by wind turbines wherever they are sited.

Media coverage for the BEIS Committee report on the draft NPS for GDI focused on the committee’s decision not to add an exclusionary criterion for national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty “It’s positive the BEIS Committee’s report on the draft National Policy Statement for Geological Disposal Infrastructure supports the process set out by government.

“Nuclear plays an important role in providing secure lowcarbon energy to homes and businesses across the UK. “The industry takes the safe disposal of nuclear waste very seriously and it’s reassuring this is being taken forward by government. It is internationally accepted that the safest option for higher activity waste is geological disposal, and we support the approach where communities come forward to show interest in hosting a facility.”

UP TO

£2 BN

DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CONTRACT WINS BY 2030

The government published its first set of ‘no deal’ Brexit technical notices in August which set out information to allow businesses and citizens to understand what they would need to do in a ‘no deal’ scenario, so they can make informed plans and preparations.

The NIA spoke to media to highlight that the notices demonstrated the scale of the work still required to put contingency plans in place before March 2019, and why a sensible, rational and logical future relationship between the EU and UK is the most desirable outcome.

2018 | AUTUMN — 5

1 4

2

1

Nuclear aids New England energy security Governors of five states in the USA’s New England region have called on the regional grid operator to evaluate incentives for nuclear energy, among other affordable, clean and secure energy options.

“Energy policies implemented at the state level strive to balance affordability, reliability and sustainability,” the governors said in a statement.

“It is vital that our pursuit of a reliable and lower-carbon grid leverages available technologies and competitive markets to foster affordable electric rates for all consumers.”

“Given state jurisdiction over energy resource choices as well as environmental policies, New England states have a crucial role in implementing regional solutions.”

2

First steam generator for Karachi 3 The first steam generator has been hoisted into place at Pakistan’s Karachi unit 3, using an improved version of the “pre-introduction” method of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

6 — AUTUMN | 2018

CNNC said its new method using an E-frame to “flip” the component can improve efficiency and safety, as well as reducing labour intensity and reducing the chance of human error, compared with the traditional “fixed bracket” installation. The technique further improves the safety and economy of the “pre-introduction” construction method - where the main reactor equipment is installed before the dome of the containment building - which CNNC first used in a reactor of this type at Karachi 2.

The process of preparing, orientating, lifting and hoisting the steam generator into the nuclear island reactor building took just over five hours to complete.

3

Urenco to enrich reprocessed uranium Urenco is to provide enrichment services to EDF to support the recycling of uranium recovered from used nuclear fuel in French nuclear reactors under a new contract.

The contract covers the enrichment of uranium recovered from nuclear fuel that has been previously used and reprocessed. “The technical complexities of enriching this material will involve expertise from across Urenco and upgrading our facilities,” the company said.

The announcement is linked to a

contract signed in April by Framatome and EDF, under which Framatome is to design, fabricate and supply fuel assemblies using enriched reprocessed uranium to EDF between 2023 and 2032.

4

AP1000 reaches full power operation Unit 1 of the Sanmen nuclear power plant has reached full power operation for the first time. The unit became the world’s first AP1000 to achieve grid connection and power generation.

Hot testing of Sanmen 1 - simulating temperatures and pressures the reactor’s systems would be subjected to during normal operation - was completed in June 2017. The loading of fuel assemblies into its core began on 25 April. The unit achieved first criticality on 21 June. On 27 June, nuclear-generated steam was used for the first time to successfully rotate the turbine at rated speed.

The unit has undergone gradual power ascension testing until all testing is safely and successfully completed at 100% power. Sanmen 1 is scheduled to enter commercial operation by the end of 2018.

New nuclear power reactors in China are usually considered to be in commercial operation upon completion of a demonstration test run of 168 hours of continuous operation at full power.

For more details on these and other stories please visit www.world-nuclear-news.org

3

It’s early 2017, I’m juggling January exams, coursework, my master’s research, and trying to decide what it is I want to do with my life after I graduate in July. With no real plan of attack, the only thing I knew was that I was interested in joining the nuclear industry – considering my degree is in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, this came as no real surprise!

My free time was spent relentlessly browsing websites trying to see what my options were and what jobs were out there. I found, however, that the nuclear industry was vastly under-represented, at least where I was looking. I knew there were more opportunities but simply didn’t know where to start - just googling variations on ‘grad jobs nuclear’ doesn’t reap many results.

Fast forward a few months and I’ve managed to bag myself a place on a twoyear graduate development scheme in the nuclear industry. So yes, it all worked out in the end, but if someone had just placed the Jobs Map under my nose, it would have been a much easier process.

Each year we collate the NIA Jobs Map for government and decision makers, so they can easily see the industry hubs and the constituencies in which they are based. The map is also useful for companies, as it is a unique tool they can use to identify potential local collaborations. However, I believe the Jobs Map is also a valuable tool for new graduates who are unsure of what opportunities are out there for them.

So often the job hunt after university not only involves the what but also the where, as the transition from a bustling student city to the seemingly less exciting prospect of full-time work can be a challenging one.

The Jobs Map shows however there is a vast range of opportunities in the industry in almost every corner of the UK. As has always been the case in the UK, North West England still dominates the industry, with two in five of our member company employees based

there. However, this year we have seen a staggering 55% increase in the number of workers in the South West, up from around 8,000 last year to almost 13,000.

This increase is attributed to the continued progress on the Hinkley Point C project in Somerset. In the heart of the west country and a stone’s throw from Bristol, this is the kind of opportunity graduates will be keen to jump on.

Surprisingly, jobs in London are also up this year with almost 2,000 people working on nuclear in the capital.

So, to people entering their final year of study, and those simply wishing to pursue new avenues in the nuclear industry, I urge you to utilise this year’s map and explore the range of opportunities. And to those already working in the nuclear industry, share the map with students and grads that you know, it may just open their eyes to what’s out there.

BY. SAM LYSTOR

2018 | AUTUMN — 7

Dounreay shaft intervention platform in construction at Veolia Nuclear Solutions UK office in Abingdon, UK

8 — AUTUMN | 2018

Veolia Nuclear Solutions A new global player in nuclear clean-up BY. MARK SHARPE / VEOLIA NUCLEAR SOLUTIONS

Dexter, advanced remote manipulator system

T

he launch of Veolia Nuclear Solutions (VNS-UK), part of the Veolia Group, brings a new global player to the nuclear clean-up sector, combining the skills and technologies of two highly specialised companies well known to the UK market: Oxford Technologies and Kurion Inc. Oxford Technologies was formed in 2000 as a spin-off from European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA)/Joint European Torus (JET), delivering the world’s first remote handling equipment inside a nuclear fusion reactor. The company subsequently moved into the nuclear decommissioning sector using its unique remote handling capabilities.

Kurion was founded in 2008 creating technology solutions to access, separate and stabilize nuclear waste and hazardous materials. Kurion was a first responder to the Fukushima crisis and delivered key systems to remove caesium and strontium from site effluents.

Drawing on this heritage, the new organisation offers a comprehensive range of technologies and services for nuclear facility restoration, plant decommissioning and treatment of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste - supported by international teams of nuclear experts and backed by thousands of Veolia staff worldwide.

Contract Success A string of recent contract wins for VNS-UK is ample demonstration of the benefits of this integrated offering to the complex nuclear clean-up tasks currently being faced by nuclear plant operators around the world. Current activities include: →→ Dounreay, Shaft and Silo retrieval system: working with DSRL

to design, build and install a system to remotely handle, sort and retrieve radioactive waste from the 65 metre deep shaft and the wet silo. →→ Magnox, MAETP, Reactor and Effluent Treatment: deploying

contaminated water treatment systems at four sites where modular treatment plants will remove radioactive substances from the effluent before it is discharged to the sea.

→→ Sellafield, FGMSP: working for Cavendish Nuclear to provide

remote handling equipment for Sellafield’s First-Generation Magnox Storage Pond. →→ National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Radioactive Waste

vitrification: partnering with NNL to commission an incontainer vitrification plant at NNL’s Central Laboratory at Sellafield site, to demonstrate the benefits of vitrification technology for the management of complex waste streams.

→→ Fukushima, Japan, investigation system: working with

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to design and construct a remotely controlled, boom-type robotic arm system to investigate the nature and location of fuel debris in the highly contaminated Fukushima Unit 2 Reactor.

A Range of Unique Capabilities The company offers a number of unique capabilities. →→ Remote Handling expertise, epitomised through the devel-

opment of “Dexter”, a technology that puts a “human in the loop”, providing dexterous manipulation at up to 8km distance, in real-time through a highly programmable master:slave system. →→ It offers the exclusive GeoMelt® technologies, a group of

commercially proven, large-scale vitrification processes to meet a wide range of radioactive and hazardous waste treatment and remediation needs. →→ The company can provide a wide range of water technologies,

including the full spectrum of nuclear site effluent management systems, from sewage effluent treatment plants to advanced ion-exchange systems.

And last but by no means least, all these highly specialied technologies are backed up by access to the complete range of Veolia’s global manpower, expertise and solutions.

2018 | AUTUMN — 9

Setting high standards in metal waste recycling BY. ADELE GRAHAM / AWE

For more than 60 years, AWE’s team of scientists, engineers and specialists have worked on everything from design and manufacture to in-service support and decommissioning in the nuclear sphere.

As one of the largest and most complex nuclear programmes in the UK, many of our latest facilities are setting the blueprint for nuclear structures of the future. At the same time, we undertake comprehensive decommissioning to dismantle redundant facilities being taken out of service.

The work we do is highly regulated and must be achieved safely, securely, to the right quality and in a way that does not adversely impact the environment. The management of environment, safety and health underpins all of our activities; whether in support of complex nuclear processes or those things we do as part of our everyday working lives.

The safety of our employees, our community and the sustainable protection of our environment is of paramount importance to us. The requirement to work in this way lies at the heart of our business and operations.

Award winning

“ When we initially introduced our waste diversion services, many in the industry were emphatic that it would never work. Special thanks go to the team at AWE for taking that initial step and helping us get the metal treatment service off the ground.”

Dennis Thompson Managing Director, LLWR

All waste metal is carefully segregated by type

10 — AUTUMN | 2018

AWE recently received the Vanguard Award for Metal Treatment at the Nuclear Institute’s first Integrated Waste Management Conference in Cumbria. The award recognises AWE for our industry-leading adoption of the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR)’s metal treatment programme.

Geoff Druce, AWE Head of Production Operations Control and Higher Activity Waste Programme, said: “I am extremely proud of the AWE team’s achievement. They worked exceptionally hard to prepare for, and satisfy, the conditions of acceptance for the new service; to prepare our waste accordingly and then to present it for treatment.

“By working closely with LLWR, we were able to demonstrate that the service worked from end to end; was safe to operate; returned metal to the supply chain and ensured that the volume of waste committed to disposal at the LLWR was minimised. It’s amazing that this route has now been open for 10 years! It has made a fantastic – and very valuable – contribution to improving radioactive waste management.”

Milling machine – this allows remote removal of contamination

AWE was an early adopter, in 2012, of metal recycling in the UK. Despite the majority of its waste being plutoniumcontaminated and considered difficult to deal with by many, it has some of the highest metal recycling and diversion statistics in the sector. In 2012 AWE recycled 29% (by volume) of its total radioactive waste, rising to 59% of its total disposals in 2017.

How this was achieved Implementation of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for segregation, characterisation and disposal has been fundamental to the success of AWE’s operations. It was identified at a corporate level that metal treatment was the preferred disposal option for metallic waste. Facility and project level BATs facilitated the implementation of the corporate BAT and determined the appropriate level of metal segregation and best assay technique.

The chosen assay technique was dependant on the radionuclide of interest and the physical form of the metallic waste e.g. large slabs, tanks, pipework. In every case the chosen assay technique was capable of meeting the LLWR’s metal treatment activity acceptance criteria.

This has enabled decommissioning projects, in particular, to divert large quantities of metal waste away from disposal by demonstrating that our materials are suitable for recycling.

Decommissioning projects Decommissioning projects generate large quantities of waste metal; from the dismantling of gloveboxes to the associated facility drainage, electrical and ventilation systems. All waste metal is carefully segregated by type e.g. copper, steel, aluminium etc. Stillages are used for transporting waste metal to ensure space is efficiently utilised. This was an AWE innovation which is now used extensively across industry.

A recent success has been the removal of nine glovebox baseplates (approx. 3.5 tonnes each), which have been removed awaiting metal treatment and recovery. Eight further baseplates will follow. To allow safe, optimal metal recovery, a layer

Contaminated swarf is removed for disposal

of metal 0.25 mm deep is first removed from the surface, which is where the majority of contamination is found.

This decontamination process is carried out using either conventional methods (e.g. orbital sander, proprietary cleaning agents) or a milling machine to remove the top layer of metal.

The remaining baseplate can then be designated as Out of Scope or Low Level Waste for treatment.

A total of 43.7 tonnes of metal waste was sent for recovery in the period March 2017 to February 2018. To date, more than 149 tonnes of metal from the current decommissioning project has been diverted to metal waste treatment and recycling, rather than going to LLWR.

Statistics for waste diversion and recycling On average AWE disposes of 360 tonnes of radioactive (RA) waste per year. The first waste treatment route that became available to AWE was super compaction, brought in principally to reduce waste volume.

Before 2012 AWE had sent between 0 to 24% of its annual waste (by volume) to super compaction. This was the almost exclusive method of waste minimisation at that time, with minimal amounts going to incineration and novel treatments.

The metal treatment programme has reduced AWE’s requirement to use the LLWR for either direct disposal or disposal by super compaction. AWE has not consigned any waste directly to LLWR since 2012, reducing reliance on LLWR resources and providing a better environmental solution to RA-contaminated metal waste. During this period AWE have diverted 840 tonnes of contaminated metal waste to the metal treatment route.

Improving recycling rates LLWR is a national resource with limited capacity. The metal recycling programme has significantly reduced AWE’s reliance on this limited resource and in doing so has also improved recycling rates and overall sustainability. This is in line with the UK Low Level Waste Strategy.

Baseplates awaiting removal from the facility

2018 | AUTUMN — 11

A Shared Nuclear DNA: Using our experience to contribute to a bright nuclear future in the UK BY. RUTH SELLICK / ORANO

In January this year, the UK and French governments signed a Declaration of Intent to deepen mutual collaboration within their civil nuclear programmes.1 As the latest intergovernmental commitment following the signature of the civil nuclear energy agreement by France and the UK in 2012,2 this once again recognised the valuable overlap of skills, experience and expertise shared by the two nations for addressing some of Europe’s most complex nuclear challenges.

At 2018’s World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris, this spirit was crystallised in the signature of a Roadmap for Collaboration between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and French nuclear operator, Orano.3 The roadmap represents an open commitment by Orano to maintain and develop its increasingly close relationship with the UK nuclear sector following its rebrand from AREVA in January, and commit to an active role in ensuring valuable knowledge transfer between the UK and France.

With its new name and identity creating a clearer focus on the nuclear fuel cycle and a forward-looking vision rooted in a commitment to the safe and sustainable nuclear energy of tomorrow, the rebrand to Orano not only signals a step-change in the company’s own business model, but clarifies the value Orano can bring to French-UK collaboration in nuclear.

TACKLING EUROPE’S NUCLEAR LEGACY Orano’s role as a nuclear operator has always been at the heart of its UK activities, particularly within the fields of decommissioning and waste management. Its unique owner/ operator experience, gained from a number of its own sites in France, such as Marcoule, La Hague and Melox, has been viewed as a valuable asset by the UK for over three decades.

‘United Kingdom –France Summit Communique’, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 18 January 2018, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/674880/2018_ UK-FR_Summit_Communique.pdf

1

‘UK-France Civil Nuclear energy agreement’, 17 February 2012: https://www. gov.uk/government/news/uk-france-civil-nuclear-energy-agreement

2

12 — AUTUMN | 2018

This experience is already being channelled into a number of decommissioning and waste management projects at Sellafield, and the NDA’s studies and trials relating to the disposition of the UK’s Plutonium stockpile.

Looking to the future, many of the first-of-a-kind technical challenges already addressed at Orano’s sites will be used as an industry benchmark for innovation and provide valuable lessons learned from experience to similar projects in the UK. By opening up these channels of knowledge transfer, technical innovations that have been successfully implemented in the UK will also play a crucial role in informing parallel projects in France.

COMBINING EXPERTISE TO DELIVER UNIQUE SUPPORT TO NUCLEAR NEW BUILD The Orano rebrand has also clarified the organisation’s capability to support the UK’s nuclear new build programme.

Following the sale of its reactor and services business and the creation of Framatome at the beginning of 2018, Orano now sets itself apart from the field of reactor design and development to stake its claim as an expert resource for the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process and provision of spent fuel management expertise, including radwaste management and dry fuel storage solutions.

Orano’s new build capability embodies the true essence of what the organisation can bring to UK-French nuclear collaboration, namely the ability to combine a global portfolio of experience with an in-depth understanding of the UK market and regulatory framework through a locally-recruited and locally-based resource.

‘Orano signs a decommissioning agreement with the NDA’, 25 June, 2018, https://orano.group/en/group/all-news/news-group/2018/juin/orano-signsa-decommissioning-agreement-with-nda

3

‘Orano and CNNC will start preparatory work’, 25 June 2018, https://orano. group/en/group/all-news/news-group/2018/juin/orano-and-cnnc-will-startpreparatory-work-on-the-chinese-used-fuel-processing-and-recycling-plant

4

The news at the end June, which announced Orano’s agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation to support preparatory work for a new, 800-tonne capacity used fuel reprocessing and recycling facility in China4, already shows how Orano is forging its path as a key player in the next generation of nuclear installations.

ORANO TRANSFORMS AND MANAGES NUCLEAR MATERIALS SO THAT THEY CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY, FIRST AND FOREMOST IN THE FIELD OF ENERGY. THE GROUP OFFERS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES WITH HIGH ADDED VALUE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE, FROM RAW MATERIALS TO WASTE TREATMENT. ITS ACTIVITIES, FROM MINING TO DISMANTLING, AS WELL AS IN CONVERSION, ENRICHMENT, RECYCLING, LOGISTICS AND ENGINEERING, CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRODUCTION OF LOW CARBON ELECTRICITY. ORANO AND ITS 16,000 EMPLOYEES BRING TO BEAR THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR MASTERY OF CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS THEIR PERMANENT SEARCH FOR INNOVATION AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO SAFETY, TO SERVE THEIR CUSTOMERS IN FRANCE AND ABROAD.

WWW.ORANO.GROUP WWW.ORANOPROJECTS.UK

READY TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER Leaving behind the old AREVA brand and shaping its new identity in the international nuclear marketplace, Orano positions itself as a customerorientated organisation, open to sharing the value of its Lessons Learned to inform collaborative relationships and develop fit-for-purpose solutions.

With newly defined business segments in uranium conversion and enrichment, used fuel recycling, nuclear logistics, waste management, dismantling services and engineering, Orano continues to expand its business in the UK, placing a drive for innovation at the heart of its activities as it supports the increasingly close relationship between the UK and French nuclear sectors.

Orano Signs a decommissioning agreement with NDA - ©Orano, Francois Guichard, June, 28 2018.

2018 | AUTUMN — 13

End of Thorp repr transforms Sellaf

IN VIEW

In November 2018 Sellafield’s flagship Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (Thorp) will shear its last batch of fuel, signalling the end of a quarter of a century of reprocessing operations and a momentous shift of focus at the UK’s most complex nuclear site.

rocessing field mission

BY. BEN CHILTON / SELLAFIELD LIMITED

“REACHING THIS MILESTONE IS A CLEAR DEMONSTRATION OF THE NDA DELIVERING ITS CORE MISSION OF DECOMMISSIONING AND CLEANING UP THE UK’S CIVIL NUCLEAR LEGACY.”

S

ince receiving its first batch of active fuel in 1994 Thorp has reprocessed some 55,000 tonnes of spent Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) and Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel for customers in the UK, Europe and Japan, generating around £9 billion for the UK economy and helping to set the standard for commercial reprocessing operations worldwide.

First conceived in the 1970’s, Thorp attracted controversy from day one and continues to draw supporters and detractors in equal measure. Following a long and detailed public inquiry, outline planning permission was ultimately approved in 1978 and in 1981 work began on one of the most ambitious and complicated construction projects ever delivered in Europe.

Thorp cost £1.8 billion to build and was paid for up front by its future customers. During peak construction, it commanded a 5,000 strong workforce and another 10,000 in the supply chain, flooding West Cumbrian towns and villages with workers and providing a huge boost for the local economy. Measuring a third of a mile long and housing facilities to receive, store and process fuel and the resulting products, it dominates a huge central swathe of the Sellafield site footprint and remains the largest structure on the site today.

The end of reprocessing at Thorp marks the end of a significant chapter in the history of the UK and global nuclear industry. The decision was taken by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in 2012 following extensive consultation on the future management of oxide fuels.

This found that continuing operations at Thorp and its support plants beyond 2018 would require billions of pounds of investment in upgrades, and that for a commercial enterprise funded and driven by customer demand the market was no longer viable. The Fukushima Daiichi disaster of 2011 and a changed world commodities market for uranium were both significant factors in this.

16 — AUTUMN | 2018

The NDA’s Director of Nuclear Operations, Alan Cumming, said: “The end of reprocessing operations at Thorp marks the successful end to an extremely important chapter in Sellafield’s life - which has been source of pride for the people of West Cumbria and has generated £billons for the UK economy.

“Reaching this milestone is a clear demonstration of the NDA delivering its core mission of decommissioning and cleaning up the UK’s civil nuclear legacy.”

Although Thorp will continue to receive and store spent fuel from the UK’s AGR stations pending final disposal, for Sellafield Ltd the last shear is a significant sign of its transformation from a nuclear reprocessing company to one focused on environmental remediation and the management of nuclear materials. Some reprocessing operations will continue at the site’s Magnox Reprocessing plant until 2020 but, from this point, Sellafield Ltd will be fully focused on cleaning up the site.

While around half of Thorp’s workforce will remain at the plant to carry out the job of ‘post operational clean out’ (POCO) the rest will be retrained and redeployed elsewhere in the business to support the decommissioning and clean-up mission. This underlines Sellafield Ltd’s commitment to avoid redundancies and retain the nuclear skills that help sustain the region’s status as a centre of nuclear excellence.

For all of those who have worked at Thorp and supported its operations from conception to construction and delivery, the completion of its reprocessing mission must be a bittersweet milestone but is an achievement they can be proud of.

Sellafield Ltd will be commemorating Thorp’s last shear in November with a series of celebratory activities including the installation of a new public exhibition at the Beacon museum in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

2018 | AUTUMN — 17

Images courtesy of Sellafield Limited — www.gov.uk/government/organisations/sellafield-ltd

BY. KATE ATHA / NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY

A pioneering initiative being co-delivered

by National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is helping identify and develop ground-breaking technologies with the potential to solve complex nuclear decommissioning challenges and has already supported concepts that could save Sellafield Ltd hundreds of millions of pounds.

G

ame Changers is a Sellafield Ltd commissioned innovation programme focused on identifying, encouraging and supporting innovative technologies and solutions that may deliver significant advances in the decommissioning mission.

NNL’s Paul Knight, Programme Lead for Game Changers, said: “We work in close consultation with operational and R&D teams at Sellafield to capture specific technical decommissioning challenges; areas where there is a defined need to improve on current baseline activities, making them faster and cheaper while maintaining safety and quality to the highest level.

“Rather than being another strand of the existing supply chain, our task is to communicate these calls for innovation to attract interest from both nuclear and non-nuclear audiences. Industry sectors which may have the technologies to solve these challenges but not realised the potential for deployment in the nuclear arena.”

The Game Changers team has tackled a diverse range of Sellafield Ltd’s challenges in the areas of Condition Monitoring and Inspection (CM&I), analytical services, waste containers and Post Operational Clean Out (POCO).

To help engage industry and academia, Game Changers support the calls for innovation with engagement ‘briefing’ events and ‘challenge statements.’ These are authored in conjunction with Sellafield’s technical teams and are designed to help delegates fully appreciate the scope of the task – background information, scenarios, constraints and functional requirements.

The POCO challenge event was held at the University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow back in May. “We established a partnership with Subsea UK for the POCO event, as there is clearly common ground between oil & gas and nuclear decommissioning, and we were delighted with the interest from this sector”, said Paul Knight.

18 — AUTUMN | 2018

This partnership approach has seen strong links forged with organisations such as the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the National Physical Laboratory and CENSIS (sensors and imaging systems), along with leading universities.

The Game Changers team also makes presentations throughout the year to universities and business networks, with Aberdeen the next destination for a ‘Subsea UK lunch and learn’ seminar to build on interest from the oil & gas community.

The Game Changers Process The programme seeks early stage technologies, from any industry and any size of organisation, which can help to address the complexities of decommissioning. Typically, these projects are from SMEs and non-nuclear industries which understandably require technical and funding support, plus specialist commercialisation support, all of which are available through the Game Changers Innovation Programme.

Applications are invited which clearly demonstrate how an innovative approach may achieve the game-changing solutions to the specific challenges presented. Applications are assessed by colleagues from NNL, Sellafield Ltd and commercialisation specialists FIS360 Ltd. with the most promising awarded funding, plus technical and commercialisation support, to further develop their projects and business case.

Proof of Concept grants are awarded to solutions which have aligned to a specific challenge and can demonstrate a clear value in their potential end use.

Projects which have been introduced through the Game Changers Innovation Programme include:

HEATRIC: Diffusion Bonding for Waste Containers Heatric are specialists in diffusion bonding, a solid-state method of joining materials while maintaining the strength of the parent materials. In Heatric’s proof-of-concept project, they are investigating manufacture of a diffusion bonded top flange suited to Sellafield’s waste containers and seeking to reduce the cost of a waste container.

RAWWATER ENGINEERING: Molten Metal Manipulation (M3) M3 introduces an innovative underwater crack repair technology for civil structures, including containment walls and storage facilities for nuclear waste. A reversible method for sealing cracks or defects in civil engineering and metallic structures, the M3 technology is based on the ability to manipulate low melting point bismuth alloys prior to complete solidification to achieve the repair or metallic coating. M3 also has the potential to ‘fix’ radioactive materials in wet or dry porous media. This technology has possible applications for fuel storage pond civil repairs, pipework crack repair and for emergency repair kit.

Please note – these projects are currently at proof of concept stage and not yet being deployed at the Sellafield site.

Frank Allison is MD of FIS360, the technology commercialisation specialists who are delivery partners for the Game Changers programme: “The technologies we are interested in are early stage - typically Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 to TRL 6 - and we provide the technical and commercialisation support for their development.”

“Game Changers are tasked with developing a portfolio of de-risked projects, all aligned with Sellafield Ltd’s decommissioning technical teams, each with genuine potential for adoption and deployment.”

“It is anticipated that these projects may also provide interest for Tier 2 organisations who may collaborate with SMEs to provide new and innovative solutions to support their operations at the Sellafield site.”

The numbers from the programme would suggest that the approach is returning positive results. At time of writing, nearly 200 applications made to Game Changers have been assessed, with 70 receiving initial funding feasibility grants to assess their potential.

Of these, 14 have been awarded Proof of Concept funding.

By return, the programme has leveraged over £1m of external match-funding and support including grants from Innovate UK. “As well as the potential to improve decommissioning operations, the supported projects also have the potential for substantial cost savings and for future deployment in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities around the world.”

Further information on the Game Changers Innovation Programme can be found at www.gamechangers.technology.

PROFILE: Paul Knight, Technology Commercialisation Manager at NNL The programme lead for the Game Changers initiative commenced his career in the nuclear industry in 1996 as a plant chemist at the Dungeness A power station, a role focused on the control of reactor gas chemistry to prolong the graphite core life and reduce carbon build up on the fuel rods.

A career move to Cumbria and BNFL Research & Technology (now NNL) as a Senior Research Technologist in the Effluent Team resulted in four years primarily working on aerial effluent issues.

BNFL’s transition to NNL presented opportunities to manage projects for Magnox (B205, SIXEP) and EEP (EARP, encapsulation plants).

Paul’s current role in Technology Commercialisation is something he describes as the most interesting of his career: “I get involved with the bright ideas from NNL, from academia and SMEs and work to help develop them into projects with real potential for deployment – not just at Sellafield but across nuclear sites worldwide.”

“I really believe that championing innovation within NNL is key to the future of the organisation and the sector. The investment we’re making to develop the best ideas, support the people and SMEs behind them will bolster the industry and be of encouragement to future generations looking for a rewarding and engaging career.”

2018 | AUTUMN — 19

Establishing a post-Brexit domestic safeguards regime BY. JO DE BANK / OFFICE FOR NUCLEAR REGULATION

In March 2017 the UK Government triggered the formal process to leave the EU. At the same time it announced its commitment to leaving Euratom, the European nuclear safety and research community, set up in 1957 at the beginning of the European Economic Community.

The Euratom treaty includes the provision of safeguards arrangements for non-proliferation of nuclear materials. Nuclear safeguards are measures to verify that countries comply with international treaty obligations not to use nuclear materials from civil nuclear programmes to manufacture nuclear weapons.

Here, ONR explain the work undertaken so far…

NR’s project team and safeguards team are working together to develop a new O safeguards regime for post-Brexit

We are currently working to establish a UK State System of Accountancy for and Control of Nuclear Material (SSAC), which will provide a domestic safeguards regime, alongside our role as the UK’s nuclear safety and security regulator.

The work is being led by one of our Deputy Chief Nuclear Inspectors, Dr Mina Golshan, who is also Director of the Sellafield, Decommissioning, Fuel and Waste Division.

In June this year, the Nuclear Safeguards Bill became the Nuclear Safeguards Act, giving ONR legal powers to set up a domestic safeguards regime after the UK exits Euratom.

The Government recently consulted on the regulations underpinning the act, a consultation to which we hope as many as you as possible responded: the consultation closed on 14 September.

We worked closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on development of the draft regulations and are currently developing the future regulatory framework, including relevant guidance documents, and any future assessment

20 — AUTUMN | 2018

and inspections process. The responses to the government consultation will be key to the development of future regulation.

A vital part of establishing a UK SSAC is the delivery of IT systems for the Nuclear Safeguards Information and Management Reporting System (SIMRS) which will enable us to manage and process nuclear materials Accountancy reports from its dutyholders and submit these, along with other relevant safeguards reports to the IAEA enabling the UK to meet international obligations, once Euratom safeguards no longer provide this function in the UK. The contract was awarded earlier this year to Axis 12, partnered with NAC International, an experienced US company specialising in the development and operation of nuclear material control and accounting systems. This has been an intense piece of work for our Safeguards staff, and SIMRS is on track for testing and operations by the end of 2018.

Another key part of ensuring we meet international obligations is ensuring we recruit and train safeguards staff. We already have the necessary number of

safeguards inspectors in post to meet those obligations, who are making use of ONR’s in-house training academy, and we will continue to recruit as necessary.

The project team and safeguards team are working as one on this, and includes a variety of skilled professionals including IT specialists, project management and policy leads, safeguards inspectors and nuclear material accountants. We are also using the deep existing knowledge from our highly expert staff across nuclear safety and security regulation to support us on the project.

Although we are confident we will be ready to meet international obligations after exiting Euratom, we will building our capability and embedding our regulatory processes in the months afterwards, we are not complacent.

This is a difficult and demanding piece of work for ONR, and it remains a huge priority for ONR to ensure we get it right. We will continue to be open and transparent in all our decision-making, and will continue talk to the industry, and, most importantly, listen to you.

SNAPSHOT

BEIS Digest of UK Energy Statistics BY. HANNAH FENSOME

The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy’s official statistics confirmed nuclear as the largest source of low carbon power in UK, contributing 21% of all electricity in 2017.

The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) show low carbon sources of electricity accounted for a record 50.1% of power generated in the UK in 2017. This is up from 45.6% the previous year, marking significant progress in reducing carbon emissions from the production of electricity.

This consists of 21% from nuclear, 14.8% wind (onshore and offshore), 3.4% solar and 2.3% hydro amongst low carbon power sources. Nuclear remained the highest single source of low carbon power delivering reliable, secure and always available power to the grid whatever the weather, providing a stable source of low carbon generation capacity in the UK. Commenting on the DUKES figures, Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the UK Nuclear Industry Association, said: “The DUKEs report has highlighted the continued vital role nuclear plays as part of the UK low carbon generation mix, contributing 21% of all electricity, and 41% of overall low carbon power in 2017.

“While the UK has made great progress in meeting its decarbonisation targets, with the anticipated increase in electric vehicles and the electrification of heat, it is important the UK has a secure, reliable, low-carbon solution to meet this increased demand. While the UK benefitted from a particularly windy 2017, the current prolonged period of very low wind output with wind producing just 5.8% of generation over last 28 days demonstrates a balanced mix of power sources is necessary for energy security as well as for meeting our decarbonisation targets.

“Investment in new nuclear infrastructure is recognised as an integral part of the future mix in the UK government’s nuclear sector deal, particularly as all but one of our current fleet will retire by 2030.”

A5_annual_dinner_advert_180319.indd 2 19/03/2018 12:01:51

2018 | AUTUMN — 21

As part of our quarterly update on the industry, Shayne Halfpenny-Ray caught up with Hector Dominguis, CEO of GD Energy Services (GDES), for a brief chat about its growing role in the civil nuclear sector. They talked about GDES’ rich history as a family owned business; why the company decided to enter the UK market, including the initial challenges they faced; and what he thinks the role of NIA membership has played in their success over the years.

IN CONVERSATION ...

HECTOR DOMINGUIS

WHO ARE YOU AND WHO ARE GDES?

22 — AUTUMN | 2018

GDES is a family owned business, headquartered in Valencia which has spanned decades. It began its life in 1932, where my grandfather started it as an industrial painting company.

The company first moved into the civil nuclear sector, in the field of decommissioning, in 1970. Now the company has over 40 years’ experience in maintaining existing plants, providing fire and emergency response systems and specialist decommissioning services.

The business has grown over the years, entering new countries and new markets, and now has over ten years’ nuclear experience in the UK, France, Panama, Mexico and others.

I joined GDES in 2003, after completing studies at London Imperial, Surrey and Barcelona. I worked for Plexi and Estrategia y Direccion before joining the group, however, most of my career has been spent within it. In 2012 I became the CEO of GDES, and I am the third generation of my family to run the business, and my father is the President of the group.

WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON IN THE UK AND GLOBALLY? In the UK, we are working on several projects at Dounreay and Wylfa A, for both decommissioning and emergency planning services. We are also part of the new engineering and design framework at Dounreay, announced earlier this year.

Internationally we have contracts in Germany, Poland, Italy, Holland France, Panama, Mexico and more. In France specifically, we have recently acquired a specialist treatment company and have started work on the ITER project. Across Europe, we have been working on emergency service and fire response systems for projects, and on software solutions for thermal projections at operating reactor sites.

WHY DID GDES COME TO THE UK? The company has expanded over the decades, entering into markets across the globe. In recent years it entered France, and due to the proximity, shared benefits and industry collaboration, it made sense to move into the UK market.

The UK itself has a strong operating fleet, a well-established decommissioning market and a strong new build supply chain, which we have seen grow over the last decade. This along with my own personal links and appreciation of the UK, was a strong deciding factor for us to enter.

We decided to enter the decommissioning market first due to our experience. This was achieved through an acquisition of an existing company at Dounreay, and we then moved outwards from this.

WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? Entry into any market comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. There are, however, some universal challenges, such as: different cultures, different languages, new regulations and regulators, etc.

One of the actions we undertook, as we entered the UK market, was to carry out a study to determine who the key stakeholders were, what the market conditions were like, and an analysis of the overall makeup of the supply chain.

One challenge we identified at the beginning was the high entry barriers of the market, which can be expected from any advanced decommissioning market. Our solution was to enter through the acquisition of an existing company, and this allowed us to gain access to the market, as well as any knowledge and experience the company had. This process then allowed us to learn more about how the market works from the inside, and due to its age and composition, we were able to understand how complex it really is, but also find the right path to success.

Another challenge we have had to overcome was integration.

We are a global company which has grown exponentially over 40 years. This means we must constantly ensure different sides of the business share knowledge and expertise with others.

However, due to our size and experience across markets, it was a challenge we were more than prepared to deal with.

WHY DO YOU THINK GDES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE UK? Our success in the UK can be attributed to several things.

Firstly, whilst we were new entrants to the market, we still benefitted from extensive decommissioning experience from our work in Spain and other markets. We also entered through acquisition which meant we retained learning and experience from the market as we started out.

Secondly, I would put our success down to our ability to transmit our family business culture, throughout all arms of the business. We like a personal, hands on approach, ensuring we meet directly with employees and stakeholders, and maintaining support for our business throughout.

Thirdly, I think our membership of the NIA has helped us grow and develop within UK nuclear.

WHAT WERE THE BENEFITS OF NIA MEMBERSHIP TO GDES? We have been a member of the NIA for several years, and certainly the biggest asset has been the people. The staff are incredibly supportive, and have been since day one, which has helped our business integrate with the UK’s nuclear industry.

One of the key benefits of membership is the access to a variety of business group meetings, ranging from decom, to new build. These meetings, as well as the annual conferences the NIA organises, helped us to understand the markets and the industry better, as well as engage with key stakeholders in both formal and informal settings.

I would specifically say the Decommissioning group has helped our business grow significantly. It has generated learning for us, while also exposing us and brand to the right people at the right time. I would recommend them to all industry stakeholders, but particularly to new entrants.

The Twittersphere BY. SAM LYSTOR

Despite being part of the so-called ‘millennial’ generation – however much it pains me to say that – I had little to no experience using Twitter until I joined the NIA. I tended to stick to your bog-standard Facebook, and perhaps the occasional Instagram - if I was in the mood for seeing what my friends had for tea. I never got the draw of Twitter.

I have come to realise, however, that the absolute brilliance of Twitter is the speed at which you can spread your message.

A few retweets from the right people can cause information to spread like wildfire, and before you know it you’ve caused a major corporation to lose $4 billion in value.

You may think that’s an extreme statement, but it’s true. In December 2016, a tweet from Donald Trump reportedly caused the value of Lockheed Martin to fall by $28.6 million per character. Let that sink in. Twitter can be a brilliant tool, but it’s important to approach with caution, as once you’ve hit the tweet button, that message is out there in the ether for good.

For many organisations nowadays, things seem to be announced on Twitter before any other platform. I suspect this is for the reasons mentioned above, however I was very surprised when I heard Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge – Will and Kate Who to follow? to us commoners – first Want information on nuclear announced their engagement and other relevant topics? on Twitter, and that was back This issue we recommend in 2010. It seems even the you follow: Royal Family has understood the effectiveness of Twitter for some years now – perhaps @mitenergy I have let myself get a bit @HorizonNuclear behind the times. @The_ONR The fast-paced nature of Twitter lends itself to be a great platform for sharing live information and data with the world. While this has produced many wonderful stories of people live tweeting disastrous first dates and the like, there are some more productive ways to utilise it.

For example, the account @myGridGB tweets, at regular intervals, the mix of energy sources being used to produce our electricity in the UK at any given time. Simply using the retweet function to share these statistics with the NIA followers is a wonderfully simple means of showing the absolute necessity for nuclear power in the UK. The consistent contribution of nuclear to the mix cannot be argued when you are forced to look at the numbers, and it really helps solidify the message that nuclear is key if the UK is to meet its carbon targets and keep the lights on.

Twitter Count Followers: 6,294 Tweets: 9,744

@NIAUK

@realDonaldTrump The F-35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th.

2018 | AUTUMN — 23

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tradebe Inutec Working in Collaboration with EDF Energy

TSP Engineering shortlisted for national manufacturing award

Tradebe Inutec and EDF Energy have entered a new nonexclusive framework agreement to manage radioactive waste across EDF Energy’s UK Nuclear fleet.

This agreement follows many years of significant professional collaboration and will build on existing contracts to process specific radioactive waste types.

This new agreement will not only see Tradebe Inutec provide standard radioactive waste management services including supercompaction, the process of maximising the number of drums that can be deposited in a single disposal container, and incineration of the entire range of waste packages used in the radioactive waste industry, but also more bespoke solutions to complex waste inventories.

This contract will enable EDF Energy to utilise Tradebe Inutec’s more than 30 years of radioactive waste treatment experience serving a wide range of sectors, from hospitals and research establishments to civil nuclear and defence. In accordance with the new framework agreement Tradebe Inutec will now provide services to the EDF Energy UK Nuclear fleet.

The shortlists for the UK manufacturing industry’s most coveted awards have been revealed and Workington based manufacturing business TSP Engineering has been shortlisted for the People and Skills Award.

Other companies including Accolade Wines, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover are among those that have been shortlisted in the ten categories.

TSP Engineering’s nomination was sponsored by Boyden.

This award recognises a company culture that promotes learning, focusing on talent and performance, as well as encouraging openness among employees about their development needs and assessing and addressing both the current and future skill needs of the business. The winner will be announced at a gala dinner on 15 November at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.

John Coughlan, CEO of TSP engineering said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted – being judged and recognised by your peers is one of the strongest reinforcements anyone can receive.”

Nuvia (UK) has secured a multi-million-pound contract for Dounreay Site Restoration Limited to design, procure, install and commission plant and equipment to remove the residual NaK (SodiumPotassium) remaining in the Dounreay Fast Reactor’s (DFR) complex piping network.

The NaK is to be removed by using an existing Water Vapour Nitrogen process (essentially steam) that will react with the residue, producing sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and hydrogen. The resultant products will be collected and processed using existing gas filtration systems and the existing Ion Exchange Plant to make them safe for disposal.

The works will be engineered in Nuvia’s design offices, from where the first stage procurement and manufacturing of pipework and equipment will also be managed. Installation and commissioning will be undertaken on the Dounreay site and will be managed utilising Nuvia’s local staff with support from local Caithness and Sutherland supply chain.

The contract underpins Nuvia’s ongoing long-term investment in the region, helping Nuvia to deliver on it’s Community Benefit Plan commitments.

David Craig, Nuvia’s Dounreay Business Manager said:” This is an important contract win. Over many years Nuvia has a number of decommissioning activities at DFR. We are delighted to continue our relationship. This is an excellent opportunity to pass some of our knowledge and expertise onto the next generation”.

24 — AUTUMN | 2018

Nuvia wins contract for Dounreay

Nominations for UK Nuclear Horizon apprentices travel to Spain Skills Awards launched Do you employ an individual who is starting out in their career in nuclear, who has made an impact on your department/organisation?

Do they regularly ‘go the extra’ mile for the business, overachieve, and act as an excellent role model to more recent entrants, and for the industry as a whole?

Do you employ an individual who has a passion for equality, diversity and inclusion, who has made a real difference in your organisation?

Why not nominate them for a UK Nuclear Skills Award in one of the following categories; Business Service Apprentice of the Year Engineering Apprentice of the Year Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year Scientific Apprentice of the Year Engineering Graduate of the Year Science Graduate of the Year Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion UK Nuclear STEM Ambassador Award Subject Matter Expert Award The selected finalists for all the categories will be invited to attend the high profile UK Nuclear Skills Awards dinner which will be held on the 21st March 2019 in Manchester.

The Dinner is a collaborative event organised by NSAN and Cogent Skills.

The deadline for nominations is 5:00pm on Friday 26 October.

Visit www.nsan.co.uk/uk-nuclear-skills-awards-2019 for further details of how to nominate.

New Chair appointed to Advanced Nuclear Research Centre The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Nuclear Research Centre has appointed Duncan Hawthorne as its next Chairman.

Mr Hawthorne, currently CEO of Horizon Nuclear Power, has held a wide range of leadership positions in the UK, United States and Canada, including CEO of Bruce Power, one of the world’s largest nuclear complexes.

He served as Chair of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and until recently was President of WANO’s Governing Board. Mr Hawthorne will take over as Chairman of ANRC from August replacing the present Chairman Mr John Baxter CBE, who will be standing down after completion of his successful term. Both Mr Hawthorne and Mr Baxter are alumni of the University of Strathclyde, and Mr Baxter will continue as a Visiting Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University.

Strathclyde University has been supporting the UK and International nuclear industry for over 60 years, with interactions with the sector formalised through the Advanced Nuclear Research Centre (ANRC), supporting the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through process, risk and technical innovations.

Horizon Nuclear Power’s third year technical apprentices are set to begin an eight- month placement that includes working at nuclear power stations in Spain, as a dozen new apprentices are welcomed to Wylfa Newydd.

The 10 third-year apprentices will gain valuable experience of working at operational nuclear power stations across Spain, thanks to Horizon’s training partner Tecnatom, including being involved in the refuelling process. This experience will go towards the qualifications they need to complete their Technical Apprenticeship Scheme at Horizon.

Horizon has also welcomed 12 new technical apprentices to the Wylfa Newydd team, the third cohort since the scheme was launched in 2016. The new intake means that Horizon now employs 33 apprentices, with the majority Welsh-speakers living on Anglesey. Initially based at Coleg Menai in Bangor, they will move to the brand new multi- million-pound Engineering Centre in Llangefni when it opens in the coming months.

Apprenticeships last three years and are run in partnership with Grwp Llandrillo Menai.

Gwen Parry-Jones, Executive Director, Operations Development at Horizon Nuclear Power, said: “This is an incredible once-in-alifetime opportunity for our final year apprentices. Not only will they work in several operational nuclear power stations, but they’ll also have the chance to live and work in a different country with a new culture, language and team. I’m delighted we’ve been able to organise this in partnership with our training partner Tecnatom and provide such a valuable experience for our apprentices.”

The placement programme, which runs from 11 September 2018 until April 2019, will see the apprentices working every four weeks in Spain at several nuclear sites, before working for one week back with Horizon in north Wales.

Gwen Parry-Jones added: “We’re so pleased to welcome our newest members of the team to the Wylfa Newydd Project.

Our apprenticeship programme continues our commitment to investing in the next generation of workers and we hope this opportunity will inspire them to work in this exciting industry once they’ve gained their qualifications.”

2018 | AUTUMN — 25

Focus on innovation BY. JAMES BARKER / SOUTH WEST NUCLEAR HUB

One hundred delegates from industry, the supply chain and academia came together at the South West Nuclear Hub in Bristol for a one-day event on international opportunities.

The NIA’s International Business Group meeting in July took place at a time of both challenge and opportunity for the nuclear sector, in which the need for innovation to help improve the cost-competitiveness of nuclear energy was brought into sharp focus.

The National Infrastructure Commission had recently published its report, identifying no need for new nuclear capacity beyond the plants proposed by EDF and Horizon due to the greater likelihood of cost reductions being achieved with other low-carbon energy technologies, while at the same time the Government had published its ‘Nuclear Sector Deal’ aimed at strengthening the UK’s global position as a home for nuclear energy projects and technology.

Hosted by the University of Bristol, the NIA brought together nuclear sector leaders from across the UK and Europe, together with exhibition organised by the University’s South West Nuclear Hub. This featured companies and institutions offering innovative solutions that could bring about transformational change in the nuclear sector.

Exhibitors ranged from established industry players to companies with knowledge and technologies to transfer in from other sectors. This included companies like CFMS and Bristol Aero from the aerospace sector describing how artificial intelligence could be applied to improve the quality and reliability of visual inspection processes, or how additive manufacture and associated stress analysis techniques can help with new nuclear build and the re-production of obsolete parts in operation and maintenance of existing nuclear energy assets.

ATKINS provided a live demonstration of sophisticated tools employing VR technology are being developed with SNC-Lavalin to make HSSE training more immersive and safer to use.

The meeting, chaired by Gareth Davies, opened with a summary of the recently announced Nuclear Sector Deal by the NIA’s Peter Haslam. This was followed by updates on opportunities within the focus countries of France and China by Emmanuelle Chardon of the Department for International Trade, Xavier Owen of EDF, Marc Duret of Framatome and Robert Davies of CGN. Later in the agenda skills and innovation were covered by presentations from Rob Whittleston of the National Nuclear Laboratory, Professor Tom Scott of the University of Bristol and Stefan Ceccini of the National College for Nuclear.

The event highlighted the role universities can play in bringing about innovative and transformational change in the nuclear sector. Organisations like the South West Nuclear Hub can bring together industry, government and academia to create a unique and powerful network that connects world-leading science and engineering discovery to large and complex industrial challenges.

Universities provide a safe environment for innovation and experimentation, away from the constraints of nuclear licensed sites as well as an opportunity for early engagement with experts from the independent regulatory community.

26 — AUTUMN | 2018

TYPES OF CYBER-ATTACK

PHISHING

MALWARE

SQL INJECTION

PHARMING

RANSOMEWARE

Attempt to obtain sensitive information (username, password etc) by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an email

Malicious software - includes viruses, trojans, worms or any code or content that could have an adverse impact on a system

A code injection technique used to attack data-driven applications through its SQL database

An attack on a network infrastructure that results in users being redirected to an illegitimate website

Malicious software that makes data or systems unusable until the victim makes a payment

TYPES OF ATTACKER

BLACK HAT HACKER

CYBER CRIMINALS

HACKTIVIST

ESPIONAGE

INSIDER

Someone who uses computer skills to break into systems or networks to inflict malicious intent

Interested in making money through fraud or from the sale of valuable information

Those who wish to attack companies for political or ideological motives

Industrial competitors and foreign intelligence services aiming to gain economic advantage for their companies or countries

Employees, or those who have legitimate access, either by accidental or deliberate misuse

Cyber Security in the civil nuclear sector BY. NORMAN HARRISON / CHAIR, NIA CYBER SECURITY BUSINESS GROUP

C

yber Security is most often associated with the IT or finance sectors, but in this digital age it is becoming an integral part of all sectors and infrastructure.

The purpose of Cyber Security is to protect devices, services, networks and the information on them from theft or damage. In today’s modern world this is an essential process for all organisations.

The civil nuclear sites are considered Nationally Significant Infrastructure, and the industry has long been aware of potential vulnerabilities. Security has always been of paramount importance.

Tight regulations, safety and security mentalities and a separate police force for active sites has ensured physical security is ever present.

However, with the advent of smart phones, tablets, netbooks and other small

technological devices, the old security methods of air gaps and fences can no longer be the only tools in the arsenal to keep threats at bay.

At its most basic form a cyber-attack is a malicious attempt to damage, disrupt or gain access to systems, devices and networks. As sectors digitise and rely on technology more it is essential vulnerabilities are patched up quickly and effectively (and the nuclear industry is no exception to this). It is amazing how many vulnerabilities could be removed or prevented through simple cyber hygiene practices.

Of course, it is not just the industry, but also its supply chain that needs protection. Therefore, the NIA, alongside colleagues at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Office for Nuclear Regulation,

National Cyber Security Centre and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority have put together a Cyber Security guide for the UK’s civil nuclear sector supply chain. The guide focuses on ways in which organisations can prevent, recognise and respond to cyber-attacks.

We will be launching the guide at a joint event with techUK, held at its London offices on Monday 15 October.

Here, amongst the topic of cyber security in the civil nuclear sector, we will discuss the importance of cyber protections for supply chain members.

As Chair of the NIA’s Cyber Security Working Group, it is my hope alongside the government, we can ensure the industry continues to grow, and supply reliable low carbon energy to homes and business across the UK, unhindered.

2018 | AUTUMN — 27

NOT A MEMBER?

NEW NIA MEMBERS

To find out about the work of NIA and benefits of membership visit www.niauk.org/about-us/ membership-benefits.

You will find more information on our business group meetings, monthly updates and our exclusive online trade directory.

To discuss membership options available to your company please call +44 (0)20 7766 6651 or email stephanie.mckenna@niauk.org

DEF Energy et Environment defonline.com/en

EXPERCONNECT LIMITED experconnect.com/en

The DEF Network operates in 12 countries, specialising in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of fire safety solutions. With increasing references on the nuclear market, the DEF Energy and Environment subsidiary has been set up to manage the requirements of the nuclear projects and develop products and services that answer the high specifics of the field.

Today, its experience includes international projects (France, China, Belgium, South Africa) and various applications such as Nuclear plant, research center, and waste management.

For more than two EXPERCONNECT has worked on the effects of population ageing, with particular emphasis on studying how this trend impacts on employment in companies.

EXPERCONNECT offers companies a strategy and mechanism for retaining the key skills of their future retirees, and enable those approaching retirement to continue their active working lives under the best-possible conditions.

MET Office metoffice.gov.uk The Met Office is the UK’s national weather service and a global forecast centre. At the forefront of global weather and climate science for over 150 years, today the Met Office combines the latest science with ground breaking advances in technology to deliver the highest quality services.

28 — AUTUMN | 2018

Northcourt Limited northcourt.eu Northcourt Limited is an international insurance and re-insurance Lloyds Managing General Agent established for the purpose of providing insurance solutions to the nuclear industry sector around the world.

It is run by highly experienced nuclear insurance personnel and its mission is to bring additional capacity to the market, provide choice of insurer and spread of risks so enabling insureds to have more flexibility in their programme design.

OPINION

PowerPolitics “CLEARLY THE INDUSTRY DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE EURATOM, BUT IF WE MUST, AN AGREEMENT OF THIS TYPE IS EXACTLY WHAT IS NEEDED”

Brexit continues to dominate the UK political scene. Far from restoring peace and harmony, July’s much heralded Chequers away day has resulted in even greater dissension, not to mention two Cabinet resignations.

Number 10’s alleged threats to take away the cars of ‘narcissistic leadership dominated Cabinet Ministers’ failed to do the trick, and while things have quietened down somewhat, the issue will inevitably kick off again with even greater intensity once the holidays are over.

Despite all this, the Government has nonetheless managed to produce a White Paper on its proposals for a future relationship with the EU. This will be the UK’s negotiating brief and sets out the key points to facilitate a broad and deep economic relationship. Unfortunately, several of these proposals – for example the proposed facilitated customs agreement – are anathema to important parts of the Conservative Party, so as the Chinese say there could be ‘interesting times’ ahead.

Luckily for us civil nuclear is not one of these issues, and the White Paper states ‘the UK will seek a close association with Euratom more comprehensive and broader than any existing agreement.’ Clearly the industry did not want to leave Euratom, but if we must, an agreement of this type is exactly what is needed. We look forward to working with Government on this as negotiations proceed.

Meanwhile, Government has made significant progress on the domestic front, with the Nuclear Safeguards Act now on the statute book, which provides the legislative backing for a domestic safeguards regime. As regular readers

of this column will be aware, this is essential for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the UK’s existing nuclear fleet, as well as the delivery of the new nuclear build programme.

Of course, the safeguards regime now must be created, and we shall be watching ONR’s progress very carefully.

The industry will also be commenting on the Government’s draft safeguard regulations, with our key concern being these should not add to the industry’s existing burdens. The industry has made clear - and will continue to do so – any additional regulatory costs should be met by Government.

Brexit apart, there have been some very positive policy developments since my last column.

Greg Clark announced in early June that negotiations would start with Hitachi and the Japanese Government on Horizon’s Wylfa Newydd project. Most importantly this announcement included the possibility of direct Government investment in the new build project.

Clark’s statement also reemphasised the Government’s commitment to the nuclear sector more generally, referring to a need for a ‘long term pipeline for new nuclear projects’. He also announced they would review the suitability of a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) mechanism for financing future projects. This is an exciting development given the RAB approach has been successfully used to finance infrastructure projects in the energy, telecoms and water sectors.

Significantly, Labour [Rebecca LongBailey] welcomed the statement, in effect reconfirming the cross-party consensus on nuclear.

Looking beyond big nuclear the Expert Finance Working Group chaired by NIA board member Fiona Reilly, produced its report on financing small reactors on 7 August. This suggested the UK would be well placed to develop First of a Kind (FOAK) small reactor projects and to attract private finance if the Government helped to de-risk projects by creating the right market framework.

Given the potential small reactors have for contributing to energy security and tackling climate change worldwide, the NIA is urging Government to implement the recommendations as soon as possible.

The other recent piece of good news was the launch of the Nuclear Sector deal at Trawsfynydd. The deal is the result of a huge amount of work on the part of Government and industry, including many NIA member companies. It aims to do two things; first to increase the clean energy contribution from nuclear; and second to maximise the economic benefits to the UK and to industry.

Given its scale and complexity, implementation of the deal will be no easy task, but given the potential rewards, we will be working closely with Government in the weeks and months ahead to deliver this.

PETER HASLAM Head of Policy, NIA peter.haslam@niauk.org

2018 | AUTUMN — 29

Thursday 6 December Victoria Park Plaza, London nuclear2018.co.uk

Gold Sponsors

Nuclear Industry Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2804518.

Registered Office: 5th Floor, Tower House, 10 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7HA

Silver Sponsor

NIAUK.ORG