Sellafield reaches nuclear robotics milestone with AtkinsRéalis

Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis and Sellafield Ltd remote technology group have successfully trialled the remote operation of a robot from a different location.

It's hailed as an industry-first that demonstrates the potential of virtual site access on nuclear licensed sites, safely and securely.

AtkinsRéalis has been working at Sellafield to deploy a customised Boston Dynamics Spot quadrupedal robotic ‘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 successfully established highly secure networks and tested the ability to operate robotics like Spot on site, remotely, from a location outside the site license boundary.

AtkinsRéalis worked closely with Sellafield Ltd’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’ immersive room in nearby Whitehaven, live-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 sophisticated and secure networks for teams across locations. It can unlock time and cost savings and reduce the need for additional personnel on 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.”

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The Nuclear Decomissioning Authority (NDA) group is 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.

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."

AtkinsRéalis digital nuclear solutions include robotics for use across the nuclear lifecycle, from remote data capture (such as the use of a Spot robot to remotely inspect Calder Hall) to robotic arms for glovebox operations and industrial-scale robots to sort and segregate nuclear waste.

Their use can boost workplace safety – keeping humans out of high-risk areas and identifying potential hazards – but can also unlock significant time and cost efficiencies, automating processes to free up the human workforce to focus time on high priority, highly-skilled activities.