Atkins selected as preferred bidder

Atkins selected as preferred bidder on Sellafield decommissioning contract

WS Atkins plc (Atkins or the Group) has been selected as preferred bidder on a new contract with Sellafield Ltd for its Silos Direct-encapsulation Plant (SDP) project, as part of an equal three-way joint venture with Areva and Mace (a.m.a.).

The SDP is a bespoke, mechanical handling and encapsulation plant for nuclear Intermediate Level Waste (ILW). The project is an integral part of the waste retrieval and hazard reduction programme for the Magnox, Swarf, Storage Silo (MSSS) at Sellafield, which is of strategic importance to the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

Sellafield Ltd will now enter a period of Preferred Bidder Clarification and confirmation of commitment with a.m.a. whilst the contract is finalised and all legal processes are completed. The final contract award will require approval from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

Atkins, together with its joint venture partners, is required to take the project through detailed design, construction, manufacture, procurement, installation, and inactive commissioning.

This important project for the UK nuclear industry is expected to mobilise several hundred people and will engage the local supply chain as much as possible.

In announcing the contract, Scott Reeder, Sellafield Ltd's Chief Projects Officer said: "The market recognised the challenges presented by this important and complex project and two strong joint venture organisations emerged to tender for the contract. Sellafield Ltd was very pleased with the quality, capability and commitment offered by each of these organisations."

Prof Dr Uwe Krueger, CEO of Atkins said: "This contract represents another significant step in our journey to become one of the world's leading energy consultancies. Expanding Atkins' position in the nuclear market through strategic partnerships continues to deliver some excellent opportunities for the Group.

"Our track record in managing technical projects of this scale and complexity has positioned us well to deliver safely some of the most important projects in the UK's nuclear programme. We will continue to build on our 50 years of experience in the sector, developing and evolving key skills for a long term, sustainable nuclear industry in the UK and helping it retain its strong position in the international nuclear arena."

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Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) is one of the world's leading design, engineering and project management consultancies*, employing some 17,400 people across the UK, North America, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe. Our people's breadth and depth of expertise and drive to ask why has allowed us to plan, design and enable some of the world's most complex and time critical projects.

Atkins has been involved in the UK nuclear clean-up programme since the late 1980s and is currently part of the ACKtiv Joint Venture, delivery partner for the clean-up of the First Generation Magnox Storage Pond at Sellafield, widely acknowledged as one of the most challenging projects in the NDA estate. Atkins has delivered innovations in the decommissioning sector such as developing a readily deployable solution to process highly radioactive nuclear waste which reduces the volume of stored waste by over 95%.

Working across generation and new build, Atkins is part of the Strategic Supply Chain Partnership for EDF Energy's Nuclear Generation business providing additional expert engineering support as the company seeks to extend the life of its existing nuclear AGR fleet. Atkins is also supporting EDF on its nuclear new build programme and is one of the companies recently awarded the contract with Horizon Nuclear Power to provide engineering and related technical services for a new generation of nuclear power stations at Wylfa Newydd, on Anglesey and Oldbury in South Gloucestershire in the UK.

*14th largest global design firm (Engineering News-Record 2013) and the third largest multidisciplinary consultancy in Europe (Svensk Teknik och Design 2013).