Latest news with #SellafieldLtd
BBC News
19-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Plans to demolish turbine hall at Sellafield site
Proposals to demolish a building that was once part of the world's first full-scale nuclear power station have been Council is considering plans to pull down the Calder Hall turbine hall A (CHTHA) building on the Sellafield building is redundant and has "reached the end of its useful life", the application stated, adding: "Sellafield is currently undertaking option studies into future development options."Hailed as the dawn of the atomic age, Calder Hall produced electricity for 47 years and stopped generating power in 2003. Opening in 1956, Calder Hall consisted of four Magnox reactors, two turbine halls and four cooling towers were demolished using explosives in 2007 as part of the plant's decommissioning process. The overall size of the turbine hall is 245ft (75m) long by 121ft (37m), with the switch room extending a further 33ft (10m) out from the east side of the overall are steam turbines and condensers inside which are supported on reinforced concrete platforms, according to the demolition application covering letter, the Local Democracy Reporting Service the potential future redevelopment at the site, they proposed removing the building superstructure and retaining the existing concrete foundations."Any future development proposals will be presented to relevant stakeholders and will be subject to formal planning application and consent from the local planning authority," the letter added. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
ITV News
12-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
More than 1,500 Sellafield construction workers to ballot for strike action over pay dispute
More than 1,500 construction workers at Sellafield are to be balloted for strike action in a long-running dispute over pay. Members of Unite employed by 36 contractors at the Sellafield nuclear site, in Cumbria, will vote in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action. Unite said the dispute is over demands for better work conditions, involving workers such as electricians, joiners, pipefitters, riggers, groundworkers, welders and painters. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Our members are highly skilled and operate in an extremely challenging and hazardous environment. "Despite this, construction employers are refusing to pay an allowance for our members' skills and dedication." Unite regional officer Ryan Armstrong added: "There is still time to avoid strike action but the employers must return to the table with a viable offer." A Sellafield spokesperson said: 'We are aware of a dispute involving contractors working at Sellafield employed under the NAECI and CIJC Working Rule Agreements. 'The affected individuals are not employees of Sellafield Ltd and we are therefore not directly involved in this dispute. 'As always, the safety and security of the Sellafield site, our workforce, and the local community will be our priority during any industrial action.'
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sellafield pay row prompts Unite union strike ballot
Union members at the Sellafield nuclear site are to be balloted for strike action in a long-running dispute over specialised has accused contractors at the Cumbria plant of refusing requests for "site specific allowances" relating to those working on advanced technologies said strike action would result in work at the plant grinding to a halt and called for further Ltd said it did not directly employ those affected but "safety and security" would be its priority. The ballot, of 1,500 workers employed by 36 contractors, will start on Thursday and last until 24 affected workers include electricians, joiners, pipefitters, riggers, groundworkers, welders, painters and other construction roles. The union said there was also a further demand for the introduction of a nuclear professional allowance for its members, as construction workers at Hinkley Point C, AWE, Sizewell C and BAE Systems in Barrow were given a regional officer Ryan Armstrong said: "Strike action would inevitably result in work at Sellafield grinding to a halt but the employers have brought this dispute on themselves by refusing to negotiate."There is still time to avoid strike action, but the employers must return to the table with a viable offer." A spokesperson for Sellafield said the company was aware of the dispute involving contractors employed under specific working agreements."The affected individuals are not employees of Sellafield Ltd," a spokesperson said."As always, the safety and security of the Sellafield site, our workforce and the local community will be our priority during any industrial action." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
‘Simply not good enough': MPs concerned by ‘intolerable risks' at Sellafield site
'Intolerable risks' at the most hazardous parts of the Sellafield nuclear site are being exacerbated by poor performance, substandard equipment and staff shortages that make the facility even more dangerous, according to a report by MPs in Westminster. The UK's public accounts committee (PAC) also raised concerns about the proliferation of non-disclosure agreements to settle staff whistle-blowing complaints about safety and bullying at the site, located on the Cumbrian coast about 170km from Ireland. It said safety concerns and galloping cost overruns were 'simply not good enough'. The committee has released a report on the £136 billion (€162 billion) clean-up job at Sellafield, a former reprocessing and power plant that now essentially operates as a nuclear dump. It said the clean-up of the site is too slow and management keeps missing targets. It highlighted problems at decrepit buildings such as the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS), which has leaked hazardous nuclear pondwater into the soil for seven years. The committee said it was enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool every three years. READ MORE The committee accused Sellafield Ltd, the company that operates the site on behalf of the British state, of 'underperformance' by taking too long to clear crumbling old buildings such as the MSSS. Its report said the 'consequence of this underperformance is that the buildings are likely to remain extremely hazardous for longer'. It complained that the timeline given by the company for clearing Sellafield's most dangerous buildings has slipped by 13 years since 2018. The leaking MSSS is being slowly emptied of its lethal material, but the PAC said it needs to be removed 24 times faster than it was last year within a decade, if it is to hit targets. [ Inside Sellafield: behind the razor wire, gun-toting guards and blast barriers at the toxic nuclear site Opens in new window ] 'The intolerable risks presented by Sellafield's ageing infrastructure are truly world-class,' said Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Tory MP who chairs the PAC. 'When visiting the site, it is impossible not to be struck by the fact that one can be standing in what is surely one of the most hazardous places in the world.' The PAC found that management needs to 'fundamentally transform how the site functions'. It is already estimated the clean-up of the site will take at least 100 years. Sellafield told the PAC it had made progress in some areas. The report also warned management must do more to 'build a culture where all employees feel able to raise concerns and report poor behaviour'. The PAC was told the company had used non-disclosure agreements 16 times in the last three years when settling staff claims. [ Nuclear accident in UK or Europe could significantly contaminate food in Ireland, EPA told Government Opens in new window ] Alison McDermott, a former executive at Sellafield who fought a legal battle with the company after she made a whistle-blowing complaint about safety and bullying, said the PAC report 'vindicates everything I said' about a 'toxic and dangerous' culture at Sellafield. She said 'Ireland is not safe' due to the way the site is run: 'This is not a British problem – it's a threat to everyone across the Irish Sea. The Irish Government must wake up.' The Irish Government once sued Britain over safety fears at Sellafield. It is believed the State made no submissions to the UK's PAC as part of its latest inquiry into the site.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Apprentices raise £1,500 for life saving charity
Nuclear apprentices have put teamwork into action to support a vital heart health charity, raising £1,500 for the cause. The Sellafield Ltd apprentices, who are trained by Lakes College, raised £1,500 for Logan and Gary's Lions Heart Fund, a lifesaving initiative that funds heart screenings in memory of two beloved figures from the rugby league community. The fundraising took place during National Apprenticeship Week and involved the Sellafield Ltd nuclear apprentices who are based at Energus. Divided into groups, they were tasked with developing creative and sustainable fundraising ideas - ranging from games to products - with all proceeds going to the charity. Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, attended the event, chatting with the apprentices and taking part in the activities. Lakes College Principal Chris Nattress praised the fundraising, saying: 'Seeing young people work together in teams is great, but to see them doing it for such a worthy cause is just amazing. 'Supporting heart screening for adolescents is so important, and this kind of initiative really makes a difference. Well done to everyone involved.' Logan Holgate was a Sellafield Ltd apprentice when he tragically passed away aged 18. His aunt Lisa Powe was presented the cheque at Energus, where the current apprentices train. Lisa said: 'We rely on donations, and what the apprentices have done is even more special because Logan almost started his career here. It's lovely to see people at Lakes College supporting the fund.' She added: 'The money raised goes directly to providing heart screenings for people aged 16 and over. There are young people out there with undiagnosed conditions, and this screening can save lives.' Helen Graham, social impact manager at Lakes College said: 'The learners and staff really put so much effort into the project and should be incredibly proud of the amount they raised for such a good cause.'
