NuGen this week re-commenced site assessment work as the company continues to move forward with plans for its Moorside project in West Cumbria.
The company, which announced a change in ownership in June, with Toshiba partnering GDF Suez in the joint venture, re-started assessment work on the 200-hectare site aimed at giving technical experts in-depth feedback on the land’s key characteristics.
The Moorside site, to the immediate north and west of the Sellafield complex, will see a series of site assessments including geophysical surveys, archaeological age-dating and some borehole drilling work, through 2014 and 2015.
The work will help NuGen’s technical team draw-up detailed plans for site lay-out for the planned three Westinghouse AP1000® reactors, which will make the Moorside project the biggest single nuclear project in Europe.
Relevant planning permissions are in place, and NuGen is committed to work with safety, care for the environment, and partnership with local neighbours as key principles for the site assessment programme.
NuGen’s Chief Executive, Sandy Rupprecht, said the work would go largely unnoticed – but that care would be taken to ensure environmental impacts were kept to a minimum.
“We are delighted to be back on site to carry out these technical surveys and assessments. We will work hard to keep our stakeholders informed, and we have already held briefing sessions with our nearest neighbours.”
“This is an exciting phase of NuGen’s Moorside project, and the work carried out here will be vital in establishing the final layout for what will be the biggest new nuclear development in Europe.”
NuGen can be contacted at their Westlakes office for further information on 01946 691281.
