National Nuclear Lab signs US MOU deal

WARRINGTON-based National Nuclear Laborator, the government-owned nuclear technology services provider, has signed a deal with a major US group.

It has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, which is based in North Carolina.

NNL will provide expert technical input to GEH’s work to study the potential UK deployment of its innovative PRISM reactor, which the company is proposing as a means to dispose of the UK’s plutonium while generating 600MW of low carbon electricity.

Professor Pail Howarth, managing director of NNL said: ““With our recognized technical capability and extensive experience in fuel cycle analysis, we are pleased that GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has looked to NNL to provide independent and authoritative input to the potential UK application of a PRISM reactor.

“We look forward to working with GE Hitachi as they develop their approach to helping the UK address its plutonium legacy.”

Danny Roderick, senior vice president of new plant projects for GEH, added: “We are excited for the potential opportunity to utilise the expertise of NNL and help the UK continue to take a leadership role in the re-use of plutonium”.

By 2018, the UK will have 140 tonnes of plutonium, mostly stored at Sellafield in Cumbria.  

The Government confirmed its intention to re-use this plutonium in December declaring that it “remains open to any alternative proposals for plutonium management that offer better value to the UK taxpayer.”