Specialists at the UK Sellafield site working with Canada’s AtkinsRéalis have successfully operated a robot remotely from an off-site location. Operators working from an immersive room at the Westlakes Science Park in Whitehaven, West Cumbria have safely remotely operated a robot on the Sellafield site.
Sellafield Ltd, part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which is responsible for decommissioning 17 legacy nuclear sites across the UK, has been using quadrupedal robots for the past two years through the RAICo programme. More recently Sellafield has been working with AtkinsRéalis on the integrated remote monitoring project to deploy a customised Boston Dynamics Spot Quadrupedal Robotic ‘dog’ to undertake various tasks including remote inspections, data gathering and clean-up work. This has culminated in removing the operator from the nuclear site all together using a highly secure virtual access network and live-streamed footage.
“This successful trial marks a significant milestone in our journey towards integrating advanced robotics into our operations at Sellafield,” said Deon Bulman, ROV equipment programme lead at Sellafield Ltd. “The ability to remotely operate robotic systems like Spot demonstrates how digital innovation can enhance safety, efficiency, and decision-making on nuclear-licensed sites.”
He added: “By collaborating with AtkinsRéalis, we are exploring cutting-edge solutions that not only support our decommissioning mission but also pave the way for future advancements in remote operations. This kind of virtual site access is already deployed by AtkinsRéalis for major construction projects around the world, but it’s the first time it’s been trialled on a nuclear licensed site.”
Richard Brook, technology solutions lead for decommissioning at AtkinsRéalis, said this latest development is another step forward for the role of robotics in decommissioning. “Virtual site access is already being used in the delivery of major infrastructure programmes: this trial is a big step towards unlocking its benefits for nuclear licensed sites without compromising safety or security.”
NDA Group are utilising technology and innovation to transform how nuclear decommissioning is delivered and this approach could be applied across other nuclear licensed sites to deliver benefits across the wider NDA group.
