Sheffield-based engineering specialist DavyMarkham and Alfreton-based Amber Precast have secured a £20m contract from Magnox Ltd to design, test and manufacture reinforced steel and concrete radioactive waste containers.
AID Technologies UK, a joint venture between Amber Precast and DavyMarkham, will deliver the project. Both companies are owned and operated by Hughes Armstrong Industries.
DavyMarkham plans to set up a dedicated plant and team of workers to manufacture the containers. It said the four-year project is expected to create “up to 50 jobs.”
Calculations suggest that Magnox will need more than 1000 six cubic metre containers to store intermediate level waste (ILW) generated during operation and decommissioning of the UK’s 12 Magnox sites.
Once filled, the containers will be stored in purpose-built facilities at nuclear sites until the UK’s national repository becomes available.
“Being awarded this supply contract for concrete ILW containers is a step forward for DavyMarkham in its drive to become the UK leader in providing high integrity containers to the nuclear industry,” said Bill Clark, DavyMarkham managing director.
DavyMarkham said it is committed to engaging with the nuclear industry while continuing to work in the mine hoist, tunnel boring, hydro, steel and bridge building sectors.
Photo: Prototype 6 cubic metre RCB Container mould pictured with Mark Johnson, Amber Precast Managing Director, Gary Ward, Projects Programme Manager, Magnox and John Cheek, Nuclear & Defence Director DavyMarkham
