Lucideon and partners have secured positions on the new Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Research Framework.

In one project led by Eden Nuclear and Environment Ltd, Lucideon will work with partners Cyclife UK Ltd, Gardiner & Theobald LLP, Hydrock Consulting Ltd, IfM Engage, Integrated Decision Management Ltd, Onet Technologies CN, RAND Europe Community Interest Company, WSP UK Limited, and the University of Bristol on the Research Portfolio Framework (2024-2026 with two 12-month extension options) for “Enabling Decommissioning, Waste Management and Remediation (ED WM&R)”.

The Enabling Decommissioning WM&R framework contract is intended to support the development and implementation of the Integrated Waste Management (IWM), Site Decommissioning and Remediation (SDR), and Critical Enabler (CE) strategies as defined by the NDA strategy. Combining research and development for these areas into one framework contract allows cross-over opportunities between themes such as characterisation, sustainable decommissioning techniques and practices, records/knowledge management, and innovation. The topics covered include:

Integrated Waste Management, which includes waste management data and information for planning and preparation, waste treatment and packaging, waste storage, waste transport, and waste disposal;

Site Decommissioning and Remediation, which includes approaches to prioritisation of activities, characterisation approaches and technologies, asset management, site interim and end states, land quality management, and site stewardship; and,

Critical Enablers, which underpin the development of NDA Strategy across the critical enablers identified in NDA strategy 4.

The second project, also led by Eden, Lucideon, Cavendish Nuclear Limited, Integrated Decision Management Ltd, NSG Environmental Ltd, Nuclear-21, Onet Technologies CN, and the University of Bristol, will work on the NDA’s Research Portfolio Framework (2024-2026 with two 12-month extension options) for “Spent Fuels and Nuclear Materials (SF&NM)”.

This framework is intended to support the development and implementation of the Spent Fuels and Nuclear Materials strategies as defined by the NDA strategy. The topics covered include:

Spent Fuels, which includes improved wet storage and extended wet fuel storage, potential fuel drying and storage, fuel storage strategy alignment with disposal, development of non-active experimental capability, and long-term management of spent fuel; and,

Nuclear Materials, which includes plutonium management options (suitability for reuse as MOX, reuse in modern nuclear reactors, immobilisation for disposal, long-term storage, disposability, security, non-proliferation, and safeguards), and uranics management options.