If you are investment planning in Cheshire, you might have heard that the North West is soon to benefit from a £154 million state investment in plutonium disposal.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group has been awarded government funding to achieve this goal. The NDA is a leader in the safe disposal of radioactive waste. Its stated aim is to reduce the longer-term security risks posed by hazardous materials. The investment will take place over five years and will be centred at Sellafield, on the Cumbrian coast.
Early-stage research and development will be supplemented by a £5 million Plutonium Ceramics Academic Hub at the universities of Manchester and Sheffield.
In addition to companies that manage nuclear waste, sectors such as construction and engineering, uranium miners and enrichers, and reactor-building have also seen investment. In July this year, the Government approved the construction of Sizewell C in Suffolk. The Government is also keenly working on the development of 70 modular nuclear reactors, enlisting Rolls Royce’s expertise.
Energy Minister, Michael Shanks, said that the new investment will support the North West region by boosting pioneering nuclear waste management technology. He added that in addition to supporting 100 local jobs, billions will be invested in the regional economy during the plutonium immobilisation programme. In a reflection of the global importance of nuclear energy, over 40 countries at the United Nations’ COP28 climate conference signed up to a pledge to triple nuclear capacity by the year 2050.
