In the final talk of the Nuclear Institute Cumbria Branch Summer Lecture series on Tuesday 15th July, Professor Neil Smart was welcomed from Sellafield Ltd to speak about supply chain innovation in the nuclear decommissioning programme at Sellafield.
Prof Smart began with an overview of the scale and wide range of facilities involved in the decommissioning programme at Sellafield. The facilities range from reactors, fuel fabrication and chemical plants to a range of laboratories built from the 1940’s onwards, all of which are located on the most compact nuclear site in the world.
He also explained that the Technology Innovation Alliance is an industry led coalition of Sellafield Ltd, NDA (Nuclear Decommissioning Authority) and its suppliers who carry out research, development and demonstration of innovative technology to support the decommissioning mission.
At the site there are many opportunities for innovation available, ranging from small scale equipment such as Remotely Operated Vehicles used for surveying nuclear facilities, to large scale developments such as alternative treatment processes for nuclear wastes.
Matt Aukett, Events Sub-committee Chair for Cumbria said: “As with the other talks in our summer series, Neil’s talk highlighted the many challenges that face the industry in Cumbria, but, more importantly, the opportunities that are open to all those in the industry to provide solutions and help make Cumbria a centre of nuclear excellence and skills for the future.”
The Nuclear Institute Cumbria branch would like to express our thanks to Professor Neil Smart from Sellafield Ltd for speaking to us at this event. We would also like to thank Nuclear Management Partners for sponsoring this lecture series