NuGen CEO Tom Samson visited Westinghouse’s Springfields site near Preston – and paid tribute to the world-leading engineering, manufacturing and technical professionalism on show at the UK’s only nuclear fuel fabrication plant.
He was accompanied on a tour of the Springfields site, including the Apprentice Training Centre, and the Oxide Fuels Complex, by Mick Gornall, Westinghouse Vice President and Managing Director, UK and Middle East, and Simon Marshall, Managing Director, UK Fuel Operations.
Springfields has been manufacturing nuclear fuels since 1946 - and is acknowledged as a global leader on fuel fabrication and manufacture.
Tom Samson said: “My visit today to Springfields was an impressive reminder of the rich nuclear heritage we have in the UK. The depth of engineering excellence behind the nuclear fuel technology on display here, combined with outstanding UK manufacturing capability within the facilities is unprecedented within the global nuclear industry.”
Springfields is not only a cornerstone of UK nuclear expertise – it has a place in history. It was the first plant anywhere in the world to manufacture fuel for civil nuclear power stations. It has produced millions of fuel elements since 1946, and supplies fuel and other services to nuclear industries in 11 countries around the world.
Tom Samson continued: “In my nearly 30 years in the power industry I do not believe I have visited a single site which has been responsible for the generation of so many mega-watt hours of electricity production than that which has resulted from the nuclear fuel which has been produced at Springfields.”
“Springfields has been producing fuels for the commercial nuclear fleet for over 60 years to the highest standards of safety and quality. Indeed, in my opinion it is an important strategic asset within the UK nuclear industry and offers NuGen an important source of domestic nuclear fuel over the next 60 years.”
NuGen’s Moorside project is a central part of the UK Government’s low-carbon energy policy and once built could supply 7% of the UK’s electricity for generations to come.
For further information, please contact:
John McNamara, Tel: 07850 774377
John.mcnamara@nugeneration.com
Picture Caption – Tom Samson, Mick Gornall and Simon Marshall at the Springfields site
