TSP Engineering and Cavendish Nuclear have won a new contract to supply containers for the decommissioning programme at Sellafield.

The 50-tonne containers will be used to move radioactive material from the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) to newly built treatment and storage facilities on the site.

The deal is worth around £3m to each company. Both firms will use UK-sourced steel to manufacture a total of 15 shielded transport packages which will help decommission and clean up the MSSS.

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In addition, the companies will create a single package for testing during the first stage of the project.

Ron Gorham, Head of Supply Chain for the NDA, said: "This agreement marks an important step forward, not just for Sellafield as it begins to clean out one of its most hazardous facilities, but also in underlining the important contribution of the supply chain both locally and for the UK."

Three machines are currently being built above the compartments which will move along the building clearing out the waste. It will then be transferred to new buildings at Sellafield for treatment and interim storage, ahead of final disposal in a UK Geological Disposal Facility.

(LM)