Nuclear competition – can you sort waste?

A competition is calling call on companies to come up with new solutions to segregating nuclear waste for a potential £900,000 in funding.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, UK, including Sellafield Ltd and Magnox Ltd, alongside Innovate UK is calling call on companies to come up with new solutions to segregating nuclear waste. Robotics, sensors, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems may be solutions. Winners will receive up to £900,000.

The Sort and Segregate Nuclear Waste competition is open to any interested organisation and involves work at Sellafield and several Magnox nuclear reactor sites – the UK’s first generation of nuclear reactor. Opening for applications on August 17, the closing date is November 11. It is likely a number of consortia will be chosen in February 2021 to carry out a three month feasibility study into their idea, for which they will each be awarded up to £60,000.

The best submissions will then be given up to £900,000 to go forward to the design and build phase of the project, which can last up to 15 months. An online briefing event/webinar takes place on August 25.

Competition details are here and the technical specification here.