Nuclear Engineering Services

Nuclear Engineering Services (NES) has over six decades of nuclear experience, with the company’s origins dating back to John Thompson and the supply of the first nuclear reactor housing to Dounreay
Highly active

Nuclear Engineering Services (NES) has over six decades of nuclear experience, with the company’s origins dating back to John Thompson and the supply of the first nuclear reactor housing to Dounreay

Today the organisation specialises in the design, manufacture, assembly, test, installation and commissioning of bespoke solutions for the nuclear decommissioning, defence, and nuclear new build markets, and it has supplied an extensive range of equipment and solutions to most UK nuclear power stations, including fuel route, remote handling and inspection equipment, encapsulation and waste handling solutions, gloveboxes and shielded containments, and reprocessing equipment.

Split across three locations, Wolverhampton – Head Office, Risley – Centre of Engineering Excellence and Beckermet – North West Division, NES’s unique capabilities, facilities and experience ideally position the company to take on a wide variety of projects on a national basis.

When it comes to the markets served by NES, Nuclear Decommissioning is one of its prime areas of expertise. The company has established a proven track record in this market and is currently tackling some of the largest technical and manufacturing challenges within the nuclear decommissioning programme.

As a result of the experience the company has accrued in this area, NES is able to operate as a standalone contractor tackling decommissioning projects, or take the lead as part of a larger framework agreement, providing specialist design, manufacture, assembly and test services. Retaining all the required engineering skills in-house, NES’ innovative approach to engineering ensures that all solutions are considered, before the best value option is pursued, managed and tightly controlled through Integrated Project Teams (IPTs).

The company has earned a highly respected name in the decommissioning sector and works with many recognisable names, including Sellafield. In fact, in July 2013, Jack Devine the chief decommissioning officer of Sellafield Ltd visited NES to see first-hand the progress on construction and commissioning of three silo emptying plant (SEP) machines.

The SEP machines will be responsible for emptying waste and sludge from the compartments in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo and placing it in modern containment vessels ready for storage. Speaking after the visit, Jack said: “After all the photos and presentations and discussions, seeing the actual SEP machines is really impressive – and a bit intimidating as well. This equipment is central to successful execution of the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo project. Working with NES we’ve made great progress – but there’s a lot more to be done. We’re looking forward to continuing, productive collaboration.”

Alongside decommissioning, NES also works with defence projects. It has 20 year’s experience in successfully developing and delivering innovative, bespoke services and solutions to the defence industry, building an excellent reputation and a loyal client base. Typical contracts completed include remote handling and lifting equipment, fuelling and defueling plant, gloveboxes and enclosures, heat exchangers, design support and critical spares.

Using in-house capabilities, together with carefully selected specialist sub-contractors, working to defence standards 2781, NES is currently undertaking the design; servicing and repair of heat exchangers and associated pipe work for all in service HMS Royal Navy Nuclear Submarines, of which it is the OEM supplier. Servicing and repair activities can take place either at its works, or in-situ, using security cleared, suitably qualified experienced personnel. Whilst working on site, NES has established environmental agreements with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), the Environmental Agency, Natural England, and Marine Scotland, for the safe disposal of waste items generated whilst working in-situ. NES has the required facility to undertake any project up to the security level of Classified, with secure areas in both engineering and manufacturing, with access restricted to MoD cleared personnel only.

Nuclear new build
The third area of speciality for NES is nuclear new build. Experience gained through its history and involvement in nuclear projects ideally places the business to meet the challenges and assist in the timely and safe delivery of the UK nuclear new build programme.

To address the needs of these highly technologically challenging sites, NES offers a range of services such as project management, engineering, manufacture and assembly, procurement, test and commissioning and installation. To maintain the exceptionally high level of quality needed to work in sensitive market such as nuclear, NES has to ensure it invests in the latest technology, as well as adheres to the most rigorous specifications and legislation.

This policy of investment has resulted in NES creating a world class manufacturing facility, and in July 2013 the company hosted an event designed to showcase the various types of mechanical handling equipment that is used throughout the UK nuclear industry, as well as demonstrate its manufacturing competence and wherewithal to the nuclear industry.

The ‘Mechanical Handling Workshop’ was organised with the Nuclear Institute, Young Generations Network (YGN) and included presentations from guest speakers and a guided workshop tour of the NES manufacturing facility.

During the workshop tour, Nick Chown, head of business development at NES and Andrea Basso, head of engineering at NES, were able to give the delegates further information regarding the projects currently in a build state in the NES workshop, with more explanatory details given by experts on site.

The visitors were given special access to the SEP mobile cave control rooms, to get a closer look and better understanding of how the machines work and are operated. They were also allowed access to the Replica Retrievals Rig (RRR) tower, bringing the sheer size of the silos to reality. The RRR tower is a 25m high test tower, built to replicate the size of silo, which the SEP mobile caves will be extracting waste from.

The tour also included a demonstration of NES’ waterjet cutting capabilities, the silo rake used on the SEP mobile caves, waste retrievals equipment for current contracts being delivered by NES, and a tour of the new CNC machines currently being commissioned.

This type of event is a useful tool for NES, as it highlights not only its ability to meet the needs of the most demanding and critical projects in the world, but also its dedication to training, development and the future. It is this kind of activity that helps to cement NES’ position as the supplier of choice for the provision of unique engineering designs, manufactured products and services, which are recognised for consistently adding value, delivering excellence and delighting clients in the nuclear and defence markets.

Nuclear Engineering Services Ltd

Services: Bespoke solutions for the nuclear market