Luke Dicicco, PR & Communications Manager for West Lakes Renaissance and Cumbria Vision

REGENERATION organisations West Lakes Renaissance and Cumbria Vision have welcomed the announcement that Nuclear Management Partners Ltd (NMP) will become the new owners of Sellafield, as an important step in establishing West Cumbria as Britain’s Energy Coast^TM.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has entered into a “Transitional Agreement” which will see shares in Sellafield Ltd transferred from British Nuclear Fuels Limited to NMP – which comprises of Washington International Holdings Ltd., AMEC and AREVA NC. The transfer is scheduled for November 24 and will see NMP officially become the Parent Body Organisation for Sellafield, charged with decommissioning the site of the world’s first nuclear power station.

Investment from the decommissioning process sits alongside investment being made through the Britain’s Energy Coast^TM Masterplan – a £2 billion package of regeneration projects that builds on the area’s globally important expertise and skills in nuclear to diversify into other innovative energy technologies, such as tidal, off shore wind, biomass and microgeneration. In total the Masterplan could create 16,000 jobs and boost Cumbria’s economy by £800 million in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA).

Rosie Mathisen, Nuclear Opportunities Director at West Lakes Renaissance, said: “We look forward to developing a collaborative partnership with NMP in the delivery of the Britain’s Energy Coast^TM Masterplan. As major stakeholders in West Cumbria’s future they have an important role to play in developing new business opportunities throughout the existing nuclear supply chain and beyond.

“The decommissioning process will bring billions of pounds into the local economy, which together with the many projects contained within the Britain’s Energy Coast^TM Masterplan, will mark the start of a real step change in West Cumbria’s economic and business fortunes.”

Simon Sjenitzer, Strategy Director at Cumbria Vision, added: “We are looking forward to hearing more about NMP’s vision for West Cumbria and will work closely with their recently unveiled management team to ensure we move in a single and determined direction. “The clean up of Sellafield represents a new dawn for West Cumbria’s economy. The investment that will be made by NMP and the £2 billion through the Britain’s Energy Coast^TM Masterplan is unprecedented for this area. It is vital we all work together to ensure it delivers real benefit for businesses, both new and existing, local, national and international, and achieve a goal shared by is all – a brighter and more prosperous future for West Cumbria’s communities.” Projects contained within the Britain’s Energy Coast^TM Masterplan range from attracting a new generation of nuclear power reactors to the Sellafield site and developing new training and skills facilities, such as Energus and the National Nuclear Laboratory, to a new acute hospital and significant investment in transport links, leisure, culture and sporting facilities. For more information visit www.britainsenergycoast.com.