Three companies from the Cumbria area have successfully delivered the first ‘Hybrid 1 63 Can Rack’ to Sellafield. West Cumberland Engineering Ltd, of Workington, and Bendalls Engineering Ltd, of Carlisle, who have formed the Cumbria Manufacturing Alliance worked alongside TEAM Industrial Services, which has bases in Kendal and Carlisle, to deliver this innovative project that could save the UK £2 billion in Nuclear decommissioning costs. The racks will triple the number of fuel cans that can be held in one underwater storage container.
The project also had input from Sellafield Ltd, EDF Energy, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and Direct Rail Services. There are currently 7 AGR power stations in the UK powered by EDF Energy, but the storage compartments only hold up to 20 fuel cans. This new solution can store 63 fuel cans in one rack. The collaboration between the three Cumbrian firms will manufacture 8 of the Hybrid 1 racks in total. There is an opportunity to manufacture the 2nd phase with the contract expected to be awarded in August 2021.