Boban John
While robots in nuclear facilities are not new, trials by AtkinsRéalis at the Cumbrian nuclear facility are considered to be a first for the decommissioning industry because the control room was off site and out of direct line of vision of the machine being controlled.
AtkinsRéalis has been working at Sellafield to deploy a customised Boston Dynamics Spot robo-dog on site, working alongside employees to inspect areas, capture data and carry out tasks in hazardous areas for the last two years. This trial established the ability to operate robotics like Spot on site, remotely, from a location outside the site license boundary without compromising safety.
AtkinsRéalis worked closely with Sellafield’s remote technology group in the months building up to the trial to put in place the necessary digital and cyber protocols to enable the safe and secure operation. Pete Allport, head of remote technology at Sellafield, operated Spot from AtkinsRéalis’ control room in Whitehaven, 10 miles away, streaming footage from a non-critical area on the site.
This kind of virtual site access is already deployed by AtkinsRéalis for major construction projects to record and view footage across secure networks for teams across locations, to enable off-site specialists to make informed decisions without visiting 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.”
Deon Bulman, who leads Sellafield’s remote operated vehicle (ROV) programme, added: “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.”
AtkinsRéalis digital nuclear solutions include robotics for use across the nuclear lifecycle, from remote data capture (such as the use of a Spot robo-dog to remotely inspect Calder Hall) to robotic arms for glovebox operations and industrial-scale robots to sort and segregate nuclear waste.
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