By Matthew Legg Business editor

Last updated at 12:03, Friday, 09 March 2012

A major Sellafield contractor is to create new jobs after clinching a key contract at the site.

Project management firm Amec has pledged to increase its 300-strong west Cumbrian workforce after landing a three year deal to provide environmental consultancy support.

The firm, which is one third of the US-Anglo-French consortium that operates Sellafield, will help site management to comply with environmental regulation as well as offering advice on legislation and training.

The contract will run for three years. The company has not disclosed how much the deal is worth.

Under the agreement, Amec staff will carry out duties including environmental modelling and monitoring, site characterisation, support on regulatory compliance and advice on legislation and training.

Greg Willetts, director of Amec’s consultancy business said: “Amec has worked across the site for more than 40 years and currently has a west Cumbrian workforce of more than 300, which is planned to increase.

“This is backed up by more than 2,100 nuclear professionals worldwide.”

Richard Elliott, of Sellafield Ltd, said: “Sellafield is very much looking forward to working with Amec on this agreement, which is in place to support the company’s environmental capability on a wide range of projects and operations across the Sellafield site.”

Amec will continue to supply engineering and design services to Sellafield alongside the new contract.

The firm has recently expanded after snapping up British firm Entec and US outfit MACTEC.

Bosses say the new expertise it has acquired, coupled with its existing radiological, waste technology and radiochemical characterisation skills gives it a unique service to nuclear customers.

Amec joined forces with US nuclear firm URS and French state-owned atomic energy company Areva to form Nuclear Management Partners (NMP), which won the race to take over the running of Sellafield from British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) in 2008.

The consortium is now nearly four years through a 17-year contract to oversee decommissioning and reprocessing on the site.

First published at 11:28, Friday, 09 March 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk