Amec Foster Wheeler has secured a continuation of contract from UK-based NuGeneration (NuGen) to provide environmental support for the proposed 3.8GW nuclear power station at Moorside in Cumbria.
NuGen is a joint venture between Toshiba with 60% stake and GDF SUEZ with 40% interest.
Planned to be built at Sellafield, West Cumbria, the project is designed to generate low-carbon electricity required to power approximately 6 million homes.
Under the contract, Amec Foster Wheeler will responsible for undertaking modeling and assessment work for the project, which is estimated to cost of £10bn ($17bn).
For the contract, Amec Foster will deploy its environmental and radiological experts with significant experience in areas, including ecology, hydrogeology, hydrology, air quality, radiological assessment, and noise and vibration.
The work will allow NuGen to submit an environmental impact assessment in support of a development consent order application and environmental permit applications next year.
NuGen Environment head Paula Madill said: “The NuGen and Amec Foster Wheeler partnership has worked successfully over a number of years and NuGen is pleased to continue this partnership as the environmental impact assessment and operation permits are prepared ahead of delivery in early 2017.”
The contract follows completion of Amec Foster’s delivery of the first phases of the environmental impact assessment program, site characterization, two main consultation stages as well as initial work on the project site’s environmental permits.
Expected to create up to 21,000 jobs during construction and operation, the project will feature three Westinghouse reactors, which are scheduled to enter service between 2024 and 2026.
Image: Illustration of the Moorside nuclear power plant. Photo: courtesy of NuGen.