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12 THE BEACON MAGAZINE | INTERVIEW On track – nuclear’s answer to the Olympics Tom Samson, chief executive of NuGen, is leading the project to build three Westinghouse AP1000 reactors at Moorside near Sellafield. He explains the challenges facing the project and how Amec Foster Wheeler is helping to overcome them M oorside is Europe’s biggest nuclear new build project with generating capacity of up to 3.8GW, about 7% of the UK’s electricity demand. Or, as Tom Samson puts it: “This project is an Olympic-scale opportunity and could be transformational for the region in terms of jobs and economic benefits and of huge significance to the future of the UK. “Construction of the new reactors will create thousands of skilled jobs over the next decade and we estimate that up to 60% of our project could be accessible to the UK supply chain.” With such a pioneering project, there are plenty of obstacles to overcome. Tom explains: “I don’t think my job is supposed to be easy. I came to NuGen because I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I know that our organisation is up to that challenge and the progress we’ve made over the last 12 months has clearly demonstrated that.” Tom was previously Chief Operating Officer on Abu Dhabi’s nuclear programme, which effectively started from scratch in a country with no nuclear heritage. In contrast, Moorside is less than a mile from Calder Hall, where the commercial nuclear industry began some 60 years ago. “The people in West Cumbria have been incredibly supportive and welcoming,” he says. “I genuinely believe that this project has the best technology, with the best people in the best place. “We will make choices on key components based on the AP1000 fleet track record to ensure that we work with vendors who can deliver the most schedule-sensitive components. Similarly, all our choices should be driven by cost competitiveness if we are to provide affordable baseload power. For sure there is a skills challenge but there will only be a shortage if we fail to engage with the market.” Tom says NuGen, a joint venture between Toshiba and ENGIE, is on track to make its final investment decision by 2018. It is seeking debt financing, focusing on Export Credit Agency and Treasury supported Artist’s impressions of the proposed railway station near Moorside and, below, of the NuGen development
THE BEACON MAGAZINE | INTERVIEW 13 debt on a highly structured, limited recourse basis. “This is a first for this industry, but we remain confident that our delivery capability and technology credentials will enable us to make this happen.” Amec Foster Wheeler’s support has been ‘extremely valuable’, says Tom, especially on the Environmental Impact Assessment and support with permitting. He adds: “The specialisms and expert knowledge that Amec Foster Wheeler has been able to bring have been pivotal in helping us collect the information which is essential in progressing through the development phase of the Moorside Project. “Amec Foster Wheeler has also been instrumental in strengthening Westinghouse in their responses to the ONR under the GDA process, bringing a deep knowledge of the UK regulatory landscape to improve the quality of safety case submissions and reach timely closure of the open issues necessary to secure Design Acceptance Confirmation and Statement of Design Acceptability for Moorside. “We have also held a number of discussions with Amec Foster Wheeler’s leadership on how we can strengthen our relationship – we are the start of a long journey and need strong partners by our side throughout that journey for us to be successful.” And Tom recalls that it was a member of the Amec Foster Wheeler environmental monitoring team who spotted and filmed the most famous visitor to Moorside – Myrtle the Turtle – a rare leatherback sea turtle spotted off St Bees Head during assessment work. “I genuinely believe that this project has the best technology, with the best people in the best place” TOM SAMSON
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