A MAJOR Sellafield construction project has taken a huge step forward two months ahead of schedule.

The Sellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant has received full business case approval from the government.

This will allow work on the project to begin to accelerate over the coming months, leveraging investment from Sellafield Ltd and its delivery partners and creating long-term construction and manufacturing opportunities which will benefit the economy both locally and nationally.

The building, when completed will store historic nuclear waste, playing play a key role in delivering Sellafield’s mission to create a safe environment for future generations.

Construction of the plant began in February 2020 with the laying of its vast base slab through 18 separate concrete pours.

However, like many other things , the project was halted when the pandemic hit the UK last year.

As soon as construction began, Covid-19 intervened and work had to be suspended when the UK went into lockdown last March .

Management at Sellafield Ltd. are now happy to be able to announce the ‘major’ new milestone for work on the site.

Steve Harnwell, head of the project for Sellafield Ltd, said: “This is a major step forward for the project.

“It allows us to give certainty to our partners and be able to start making the large commitments for construction and manufacture required to progress and deliver this mission critical project within the wider UK supply chain.

“The PPP approach to project delivery has provided confidence to the Government that our cost and schedule predictions are realistic. All this has helped deliver the business case early and allow this project to contribute to the first steps of improving project delivery at Sellafield.”

The project is being delivered by Sellafield’s Programme and Project Partners (PPP).