A £52 million Sellafield contract has been awarded to project delivery firm Wood.

It will supply programmable digital control technologies to the West Cumbrian nuclear site.

The 10-year framework, worth $66 million, covers all stages of system design, manufacture and assembly of equipment, obsolescence management and maintenance support to project work and decommissioning carried out by Sellafield Ltd.

Wood said: "The contract will help Sellafield Ltd and its wider supply chain to deliver safe, sustainable and cost-effective solutions to full lifecycle controls integration supply at the site.

"It was secured by a joint approach from nuclear and automation and controls specialists within Wood, augmenting best-in-class experience from the automotive and oil and gas sectors with nuclear competence, stakeholder relations and site-specific knowledge."

Bob MacDonald, CEO of Wood Specialist Technical Solutions, said: “We are looking forward to working with Sellafield Ltd and demonstrating the strength and depth of controls integration expertise across the whole of Wood, bringing together our nuclear expertise with our automation and controls capability.

“Securing this important framework is proof of the rationale for acquiring Amec Foster Wheeler 12 months ago and a good revenue synergy. We could not have won this contract as separate businesses.

“Our aim is to provide Sellafield Ltd with long-term supply chain capability and capacity, implementing standardised solutions, building innovation into design and delivery, managing obsolescence, and reducing lifecycle costs.”

Wood’s nuclear business employs more than 1,300 people in the North West, mainly at Knutsford and Birchwood in Cheshire and at Sellafield and Whitehaven.