The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

170 delegates gathered to hear about the decommissioning programme and supply chain opportunities this week.

Representatives from the supply chain packed the room in Manchester to hear about the £83bn civil nuclear decommissioning programme and the new industry structure. NDA’s Richard Mrowicki, Head of Strategy and Business Planning, outlined the big picture. He emphasised NDA’s objective, obligated via the Energy Act 2004, to reduce the cost of decommissioning over the long term via innovation and competition whilst ensuring continued high standards of safety.

Richard advised that outlines of the key challenges of this largest environmental restoration programme in Europe can be found in:

• NDA 3 year Business Plan, which will be published April, and
• Lifetime Plans from Site Licence Companies (7 SLCs have nuclear site licences and contracts with the NDA to manage and operate the NDA owned sites).

Government committed funding, announced in 2007, for the decommissioning work until 2010. Future funding will be announced in 2009. In the meantime, NDA continues to work in partnership with SLCs and regulators to secure best value for money by moving funds between sites during the year, prioritising the projects according to hazard levels. Richard said that the NDA looked to the supply chain to find more innovative ways of working to reduce costs.

 

The theme of innovation was picked up by the presentations from 4 SLC Managing Directors. They encouraged suppliers to team up in smart ways to reuse ideas from other sectors. It is not always about researching new techniques; it is more about transferring the use of proven, safe techniques from other sectors.

Mark Lesinski, Managing Director of Magnox South Ltd, wanted the supply chain to note that “There is an initiative to save costs by a shared approach to procurement across the NDA and SLCs. So far this has covered administrative contracts, such as car hire, however it is moving towards more technical contracts. This offers the NDA efficiencies in terms of costs and decision-making process. For the supply chain, there are bigger value contracts in addition to savings involved in the tendering process.”

Senior SLC executives stressed to the supply chain that the following are key to successful decommissioning projects: maintaining good communications; identifying risks and who owns risks before a project starts; learning lessons after completion; and, most importantly, sharing our safety culture. If safety and quality remained on track, then the schedule and budget would also stay on track.

Neil Baldwin, Managing Director for Magnox North Ltd, said “We work in partnership with suppliers and share our success stories. We run an annual event for suppliers and always welcome ideas for improvements”

Alan Neal, Managing Director of Research Sites Restorations Ltd (RSRL) reminded the supply chain that “RSRL are contractors too, and, as such, we need to ensure client satisfaction for our customer, the NDA. This means that we need to be agile and responsive to changes.”

For more information on SLC contract opportunities see:

• Supplier section of Dounreay Site Resoration Ltd website
• Supplier section of Magnox North Ltd website
• Supplier section of Magnox South Ltd website
• Supplier section of Research Sites Restoration Ltd website

Supply Chain Network

This Supply Chain Network database is for the use of ALL suppliers to the nuclear sector and all tiers of the Supply Chain, including all those interested in, or wishing to become involved in the world wide nuclear market.

It is a free networking tool which is designed to be used by suppliers or other interested parties. For example it may help suppliers to find possible partners for collaboration or help them locate suppliers of particular goods or services. It is keyword searchable across Company names, Company business, Company address and postcode.

• Access the Supply Chain Network