National Nuclear Laboratory /
The National Nuclear Laboratory will play a key role in safeguarding and enhancing the United Kingdom and West Cumbria’s nuclear skills base.
Based on the Sellafield site, the National Nuclear Laboratory will develop the skills, expertise and research needed to support the United Kingdom’s decommissioning and nuclear new build programmes.
The National Nuclear Laboratory was formed by a merger of staff from Nexia Solutions and facilities owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), including the Sellafield Technology Centre, in July 2008. The facility is owned by the Government but commercial operations are now run by a consortium led by Serco and including Battelle and The University of Manchester.
The consortium won the contract following a nine-month competition run by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. It has been charged with putting the National Nuclear Laboratory on a firm commercial footing by making the most of an emerging domestic and international market for nuclear technology and research services.
The formation of the National Nuclear Laboratory and the launch of the commercial operator competition were announced at the launch of the Britain’s Energy Coast™ Masterplan in July 2008.
