News story

DSRL appoints M+W Group as design consultant for Shaft & Silo

DSRL has appointed M+W Group as the lead design and safety case consultant for Europe’s deepest nuclear decommissioning project.

Dounreay

Decommissioning the 65m Shaft and Silo, that were used for over 40 years to store intermediate level waste, presents a number of unique technical and engineering challenges.

Covering design, safety and environment case development, this seven-year, multi-million pound contract forms an integral part of the programme of works to decommission and restore the Dounreay site.

The project will construct new retrieval, processing and packaging facilities that will enable waste from the Shaft & Silo to be treated safely and securely, rendering it suitable for long-term storage and future disposal.

M+W Group will use three specialist Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) as key design partners; Oxford Technologies Ltd, 3T Safety Consultants and Sanderson Watts Associates.

Spencer Baber, Managing Director of M+W Group UK said “We are delighted to have secured this long-term contract with DSRL, a core strategic client for M+W Group. We are looking forward to applying our design, decommissioning and complex projects delivery expertise in this unique environment”.

DSRLProject Director for the Shaft & Silo, Mike Gearhart, said:

DSRL is excited to begin the next stage of decommissioning the Shaft & Silo.

The design and safety case production are key deliverables for our external stakeholders to ensure we are proceeding to safely reduce the risk posed by the nuclear material currently consigned to the Shaft & Silo.

Published 8 June 2015