Operators working from an immersive room at the Westlakes Science Park in Whitehaven, West Cumbria have proven they can remotely operate a robot on the Sellafield site safely and securely, with huge potential for the future of our clean-up mission.
The immersive room at Westlakes enables remote operations via secure virtual access
Sellafield Ltd is part of the NDA group, which is responsible for decommissioning 17 of the earliest nuclear sites across the UK. For the last 2 years we’ve embraced the use of quadrupedal robots through the RAICo programme and our supply chain.
More recently we’ve worked with AtkinsRéalis on the integrated remote monitoring project to deploy a customised Boston Dynamics Spot Quadrupedal Robotic ‘dog’ for a range of tasks including remote inspections, data gathering and clean-up work.
The latest trial takes remote operations a step further by removing the operator from the nuclear site all together, thanks to a highly secure virtual access network and live-streamed footage.
Deon Bulman, ROV equipment programme lead at Sellafield Ltd said:
This successful trial marks a significant milestone in our journey towards integrating advanced robotics into our operations at Sellafield.
The ability to remotely operate robotic systems like Spot demonstrates how digital innovation can enhance safety, efficiency, and decision-making on nuclear-licensed sites.
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:
Sellafield Ltd has pioneered the adoption of technology across its operations, and this latest milestone 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.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (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.
