£30m Sellafield contract will create jobs and boost local economy

A West Cumbrian company has been awarded a £30m contract to manufacture nuclear waste containers for nuclear reactor site Sellafield Ltd.

TSP Engineering, of Workington, will produce transport packages for Sellafield’s decommissioning programme.

The 50-tonne, lead-lined containers will transfer nuclear waste from the legacy Magnox Swarf Storage Silo to newly-built storage facilities on the Sellafield site.

The work is expected to create or sustain around 200 jobs at TSP Engineering.

The move underlines the commitment of Sellafield and its owner, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), to investing in local supply chains.

Alongside other orders placed with the business, the work will bring the TSP Engineering workforce to in excess of 250 people.

TSP chief executive, John Coughlan, said: “This is great news for TSP Engineering, our workforce, supply chain and the local economy.

“Sellafield placing this order highlights the confidence our nuclear customers have in our proven ability to deliver the most technical and complex solutions within budget and programme plan.

“It is a significant step towards our ambition to further grow in the nuclear industry and highlights the calibre and skill of our award-winning workforce.”

Martin Chown, chief executive of Sellafield Ltd, said: “Creating a clean and safe environment is essential in all that we do at Sellafield. These packages help us achieve this.

“I was delighted to see a local business win this contract, which will lead to job creation and opportunities for West Cumbria.

“TSP Engineering is a world-class company. Its success in winning this contract proves our nuclear supply chain can compete with the best in the world.”

Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “This is tremendous news for West Cumbria and the North’s economy as a whole.

“Manufacturers like TSP are crucial to developing a strong and resilient economy to underpin the ambitions of the Northern Powerhouse.

“I’m delighted to see Sellafield Ltd investing in its local supply chain to create jobs, growth, and opportunity.”

TSP Engineering has a long history of manufacturing high integrity products for Sellafield.

Under a previous contract the firm produced one new and nine refurbished packages for the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo programme.

The new contract is expected to run for a few years and will complete the fleet of packages needed to empty the silo, which is one of the NDA’s highest priority programmes.