Sunday 25 May 2014

Nexia Solutions, the only UK organisation with the skills, facilities and expertise to provide technical support in all aspects of the nuclear industry, is delighted that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has announced its intention to establish a National Nuclear Laboratory based around the British Technology Centre at Sellafield and Nexia Solutions. Comments Peter Bleasdale, Managing Director of Nexia Solutions,: “The intention by Government to create a National Nuclear Laboratory will help to safeguard the country’s nuclear skills and capability. As an organisation, we are ideally suited to participate in the National Nuclear Laboratory, due to the people and relationships with other organisations that we already have in place.” Nexia Solutions is already playing a key role in the UK and global nuclear industry, helping to reduce the cost of clean-up and decommissioning, maintaining critical skills, attracting new people into the industry, as well as working with National Nuclear Laboratories around the world. Since Nexia Solutions was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) in April 2005, the business has already identified over £600 million of potential opportunities for its customers, designing a range of technology based solutions across the whole nuclear fuel cycle but principally in the area of clean up costs. The organisation has also forged strong alliances with a number of universities across the UK including Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester. In partnership, Nexia Solutions and these universities have created a range of research projects in the areas of radiochemistry, particle science, immobilisation and nuclear materials. These alliances have created over 140 academic posts and post grad studentships. At a global level, Nexia Solutions has strong links with a number of leading National Nuclear Laboratories including those of the US Department of Energy (DoE), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA) in France and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Working co-operatively for mutual benefit of providing training for example a team from South Africa is currently with Nexia Solutions and undergoing training to ensure they can manage the construction and ongoing management of a Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR), which is due to go online in 2012. The National Nuclear Laboratory will be set up as soon as practicable. Concludes Peter Bleasdale: “Nexia Solutions is looking forward to working with Government and the nuclear industry towards the intention of establishing of a National Nuclear Laboratory which the UK can be proud of.” – ENDS – Notes to Editor • Nexia Solutions Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL). • The business specialises in providing customers with tailored solutions by applying the right level of technical innovation and intellectual support. • Responding to Government requirements concerning the nuclear skills base, Nexia Solutions has the mission to protect the national nuclear technology capability. • Nexia Solutions provides a core offering of technology services and solutions across the full nuclear fuel cycle primarily in the UK, but with an increasing overseas market. • Main UK customers for Nexia Solutions services include the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), British Nuclear Group, Westinghouse and British Energy plc. • Nexia Solutions is a business focused on delivering technology services in four main areas: 1. Operating Plants – Maintaining licence to operate and improving plant performance 2. Decommissioning and Clean up – Supporting cost reduction and programme acceleration 3. UK Nuclear Strategy – Assisting UK nuclear policy development and implementation 4. Laboratory Management – Managing multifaceted laboratory facilities on several sites Issued on behalf of Nexia Solutions by Weber Shandwick. For further information, please contact: Paul Bowers Kim Williams Weber Shandwick 2 Jordan Street Knott Mill Manchester M15 4PY pbowers@webershandwick.com Tel: 0161 238 9411 Fax: 0161 228 3076 Weber Shandwick 2 Jordan Street Knott Mill Manchester M15 4PY kcwilliams@webershandwick.com Tel: 0161 238 9422 Fax: 0161 228 3076