Sellafield has confirmed four more companies have been appointed to its £500 million decommissioning framework programme.

Amec Foster Wheeler, AREVA, Doosan Babcock and Atkins have been chosen as the final members on the decade long Decommissioning Delivery Partnership (DDP).

The news now means 16 companies are involved in the framework across six alliances and joint ventures:

• Integrated Decommissioning Solutions (comprising Energy Solutions EU Ltd, Hertel (UK) Ltd, North West Projects Ltd and Westlakes Engineering Ltd).

• The Nexus Decommissioning Alliance (Costain Oil, Gas and Process).

• AREVA-Doosan-Atkins.

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• Cumbria Nuclear Solutions Ltd (Shepley Engineers, James Fisher Nuclear Ltd, REACT Engineering Ltd, Jacobs Stobbarts, Westinghouse Electric Company UK Ltd, WYG Engineering Ltd).

• The Decommissioning Alliance (Jacobs UK Ltd, Energy Solutions EU Limited, Westinghouse Electric Company UK Ltd).

• Amec Foster Wheeler, Hertel (UK) Ltd, Shepley Engineers.

Fifteen are either based in or have a significant presence in Cumbria.

Sellafield's drive is to ensure that the predicted £95 a minute it will spend with the DDP supply chain over the next decade delivers the maximum benefits both on and off the sit.

Companies have also pledged to deliver school outreach and business mentoring programmes, with Sellafield now taking those individual tendering pledges and building on them with the DDP partners.

In addition, up to 240 apprenticeships will be created over the ten-year period, while 150 jobs will be given to 'under-represented or disadvantaged' people.

All have promised a 'local first' recruitment approach, with one consortium aiming for 95% of work to be done by Cumbrian workers.

The agreements will initially cover decommissioning of the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond facility.

(LM)