The UK Nuclear Waste Management (UKNWM) consortium, comprising URS, Studsvik UK, AREVA and Serco Assurance, has been picked to manage and operate LLW Repository Ltd (LLWR) for another five-year term.
In late March, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) awarded the consortium a new contract, which expires 31 March 2018. It covers the management and operations of the UK national low level waste repository in West Cumbria as well as the development and implementation of the National Low Level Waste Strategy.
UKNWM first won the contract to act as parent body organization (PBO) for LLWR in 2008. The contract was the first of its type for the NDA and the nuclear industry as a whole.
During the first five year term the contract has resulted in around GBP30 million of savings, NDA said in a statement. In addition, the life of the repository has been extended 'well into this century,' the volume of waste destined for disposal has been reduced by a factor of three, and a new vault has opened at the facility.
"We've seen a consistent level of good performance both at the Low Level Waste Repository itself and across the broader low level waste management agenda," said John Clarke, chief executive officer of the NDA.
"For those reasons we have taken the encouraging decision to let UKNWM continue with their oversight of LLWR Ltd for the next five years."
