Future UK national lab has a partner

21 February 2007

Nexia Solutions, the lead company in establishing the UK's National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), has formed a partnership with the USA's Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

A memorandum of understanding signed on 19 February would see the two centres of nuclear technology "pool resources and expertise to benefit both countries as well as global initiatives such as the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP)," according to Nexia.

INL is the USA's lead technology research, development and demonstration centre, while Nexia will form the foundation of the UK's NNL, a project intended to maintain nuclear skills in the UK for future power technology requirements and to ensure a domestic capability in nuclear decommissioning.

The starting point for NNL will be Nexia's 750-strong workforce, the British Technology Centre at Sellafield, and links with other nuclear skills initiatives like those led by the University of Manchester's Dalton Institute.

As INL managers help Nexia set up the NNL, Nexia will be assisting INL in the field of used nuclear fuel recycling and with advice on fuel acquisition for very high-temperature reactors.

Peter Bleasedale, managing director of Nexia, said: "At a practical level, pooling resources and sharing expertise can help to address common issues such as reducing the cost of nuclear clean-up. At a more strategic level, the two organisations will be looking at how they can make significant contributions to initiatives such as GNEP."

Further information

Idaho National Laboratory, Nuclear Energy
Nexia Solutions

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