Dounreay criticised over supply-chain contracts decision

Dounreay has come under fire for its decision not to renew the contracts it has with three site-based companies.

A total of 80 are employed by Nuvia Limited, Morson Projects and GD Energy Services Nuclear Ltd on front-line radiological clean-up jobs.

They have been informed by site operator NRS that the work is being switched in-house as the contracts wind up over the next year.

Former Highland councillor Gillian Coghill believes the move sends the wrong signals to Dounreay’s supply chain.

The issue cropped up at Wednesday evening’s meeting in Thurso of Dounreay Stakeholder Group.

Mrs Coghill, who represents Buldoo Residents Group, said: “These companies are losing their contracts, which could lead to them closing down their operations here.

“I think it discourages people from investing in the county.

“It doesn’t seem to fit with the socio-economic strategy which NRS is always banging on about.

“You encourage firms to come in but then you don’t renew their contracts and you poach their staff.”

Councillor Andrew Jarvie was also concerned to learn of the move.

“It is concerning to hear what Gillian is saying,” he said. “Dounreay was looking to rebuild relations with its supply chain. This doesn’t seem to be going in the right direction.”

NRS Dounreay managing director Dave Wilson made clear that the three contracts have not been terminated.

It had opted not to renew them in pursuance of the new strategy to clean up the site to reflect the new decommissioning timeline, which now stretches into the 2070s.

Mr Wilson, who took up his post in November, said that front-line decommissioning and compliance work should be carried out in-house.

He added: “The contracts have about 12 months to run so it gives the companies and ourselves plenty of notice.”

The transition, he said, will give the personnel involved better job security.

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Mr Wilson made clear there had been no issues with the performance of the companies.

He added that there is no shortage of other work on site slated to go out to contract.

“There is not going to be less supply chain and more in-house. It’s just going to be a different mix.”

He was keen to encourage tie-ups between large national concerns and Caithness firms to bid for work on the site.

Dounreay is on course to spend more than £30 million on Caithness-based businesses in the current financial year.

“It’s as well as we’ve done in giving work to the local supply chain in a long time,” said Mr Wilson.

An NRS spokesman said: “The decision to contract-out the work inserted flexibility into the management of resources when forecast timelines were greatly compressed.

“Now, with new timelines in place, NRS Dounreay has taken a strategic decision to move the capability in-house.

“This provides better value for money, strengthens the site’s in-house capabilities and provides the teams with job security in the longer-term.”

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