The nuclear industry - the Green pilgrim's great Satan - is coming in from the cold, and where better to welcome back the mighty atom than its spiritual home in West Cumbria? David Chadwick reports
A transformation in political and environmental priorities means the world's biggest clean-up problem has become Cumbria's greatest opportunity.
The UK's nuclear industry is now a global focal point, not only for a resurgent industry based on nuclear remediation, but also for enormous decommissioning programmes - and even the possibility of new-build projects.
Earlier in 2006 Tony Blair hinted heavily that the green light will be given to a fresh generation of nuclear power stations, insisting that the issue was "back on the agenda with a vengeance" as a result of carbon emissions and Britain's growing dependence on imported gas. Failure to take long-term decisions on UK energy supplies would be a "serious dereliction of our duty to the future of this country", according to the Prime Minister.
At the centre of this resurgent nuclear sector is British Nuclear Sellafield, which ranks as the North West's top exporter and a substantial employer. Of the industry's 40,000 UK jobs, 23,000 are in the North West, and half of these in Cumbria.
It is calculated that the nuclear industry accounts for 25 per cent of all employment in the west of the county. In addition to major employers such as British Nuclear Group (BNG) and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), there are at least 300 other companies in West Cumbria and the North West working in the sector.
Although several thousand jobs will be at risk when decommissioning at Sellafield is complete, there is increasing confidence that a fresh crop of technology-based activities will form the nucleus of a reinvented nuclear industry.
Having the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) based at Westlakes Science Park, near Whitehaven, represents a ready-made showcase for Cumbria to impress governments and environmentalists with its expertise at handling nuclear waste.
Aware of the critical importance of these opportunities, the government has taken action to protect Sellafield from falling into the hands of asset strippers, while unveiling a range of investment initiatives to boost Cumbria's skills, reputation and resources.
Trade secretary Alistair Darling has sanctioned a rethink on the sale of BNG, the clean-up division of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), after suspicions were raised that potential buyers wanted the company solely because of its lucrative contract to manage Sellafield.
As a result, there will be an open competition for the next five-year contract, while other parts of the business - including Project Services and the Magnox divisions - will be sold off individually in a move that could net the government £31bn.
A raft of new initiatives includes a new National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), to be formed by the British Technology Centre at Sellafield and Nexia Solutions, the research company currently owned by BNFL. The laboratory will ensure the necessary skills are available for the UK's civil nuclear industry, while meeting the country's (R & D) needs.
"As the market for the provision of R&D skills develops, the NNL will ensure key skills are not just safeguarded but enhanced," says NDA communications manager Brian Hough.
Work is also scheduled to start early in 2007 on building a Nuclear Academy at the Lilyhall Industrial Park near Workington. The two-storey building will include engineering and construction workshops, training and meeting rooms, a lecture theatre and a learning resource centre to support distance learning. "The academy will be a bridge for school leavers into employment in the industry for the first time, while at the same time enabling existing workers to acquire new skills and building a foundation for further and higher education linked to the nuclear sector," says Hough.
A few miles down the A595, Westlakes Science and Technology Park will become home to a nuclear institute. The University of Manchester, through its Dalton Nuclear Institute, and the NDA have signed an initial £320m agreement to establish major new research groups and educational facilities, with access to the British Technology Centre (BTC) at Sellafield.
"The funding will be directed at establishing key research capabilities in the fields of radiation sciences and engineering decommissioning," says Hough. "It will also provide high-quality teaching and education facilities, as well as advanced computational modelling and simulation tools. New professorial appointments are to be made, together with the recruitment of research teams that will initially comprise around 60 academic staff and postgraduate students."
In a separate initiative with the University of Central Lancashire, a new academic position - chair of epidemiology - will be established, aiming to nurture a greater understanding of the long-term impact of radiation dosage, which is key to ensuring the health and safety of the workforce.
At school level, the NDA is supporting a project called Energy Foresight that provides curriculum-based material about radioactivity and power generation for GCSE students. Not only does this provide direct support for science studies, but also aims to stimulate the interest of young people in subjects sometimes regarded as unfashionable.
"Energy Foresight, the Nuclear Academy, the partnership with Manchester University, the chair of epidemiology and the NNL provide a full spectrum of educational, training and business support facilities," says Hough. "When seen in this broad strategic context, they will provide the building blocks to make West Cumbria a global centre for energy, environment and technology."
While welcoming the raft of initiatives from the NDA, some private sector commentators warn against west Cumbria becoming overly reliant on a single sector. Among those who share this concern is Barrow-based Elaine Harris, a partner at accountancy RF Miller, who advises small and medium-sized businesses throughout West Cumbria.
"It is worrying that so much of our business and employment is centered around one industry, which until recently looked liked it was in major upheaval," says Harris. "The creation of a Nuclear Institute, Academy and NNL come as a relief to local people, because they will safeguard and create jobs as well as bringing highly paid workers into the area.
"I am very hopeful that these initiatives will kickstart the local economy, which has lagged behind the national average for a number of years now. Yet, while we should make the most of these fresh opportunities, we must also consider alternatives, so we can make the Cumbrian economy truly diverse."
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