ONR begins procurement to replace Euratom nuclear safeguards system

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has begun procuring a system to track nuclear materials in the UK and ensure they are not diverted from civilian uses, which will be required if, as planned, the UK exits the Euratom treaty as it leaves the EU.

ONR said it has to develop and deliver a UK State System of Accountancy for and Control of Nuclear Material by 29 March 2019. It will include a Safeguards Information Management and Reporting System   that meets international reporting obligations. Without the system, ONR said it will not be able to effectively deliver the necessary nuclear materials accountancy.

It must be ready for parallel running by the end of December 2018 and go live by 29 March 2019.

ONR has published a procurement notice on the government’s digital marketplace website. It says questions can be asked until 28 February and applications must be made by midday on 7 March.

The contract award is expected on 1 May and by then the bidder must have security clearance for all personnel involved.

By 23 February the procurement had seven incomplete applications, three of them from SMEs.

Further reading

BEIS committee warns: ‘hard’ Euratom exit ‘highly risky’ for nuclear sector and puts power plant operations in doubt

What’s our European nuclear future? Options on exiting Euratom

National Infrastructure Commission chair calls for an end to government ‘dither and delay’, highlights four energy decisions

Brexit ‘puts operation of the UK nuclear industry at risk’, warns Select Committee