UK engineering firm appointed to deliver major decommissioning project at Dungeness A
A UK engineering firm has been awarded a £190 million contract to remove eight 800-tonne boilers at Dungeness A, accelerating decommissioning and reducing long-term site risks.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s subsidiary NRS has appointed Aureos to lead the next phase of decommissioning at Dungeness A in Kent. The £190 million contract covers the removal of eight boiler units, each weighing around 800 tonnes, along with associated infrastructure. This follows four years of preparatory work to ready the site for the complex operation. The project aims to accelerate safe decommissioning, lower national risk and support local economic opportunities through supply chain and skills development.
Rob Fletcher, NRS Chief Executive Officer, described the project as a landmark engineering challenge requiring new approaches aligned with regulatory recommendations. The boilers will be moved using a specialist jack and slide system to ensure safe, efficient and precise removal. Their extraction will visibly reduce the site’s footprint and ease future maintenance demands. Vicki Baxter, Senior Project Manager, highlighted the achievement as a result of teamwork, planning and collaboration during demolition and site preparation.
Aureos was selected through a competitive procurement process evaluating technical capability, project certainty, innovation, social value and cost. Dave Evans, Dungeness A Site Director, noted the contract marks a significant stage in the site’s decommissioning journey, built on years of planning. Darren James, Aureos Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the award, emphasising the project’s importance to the site and surrounding area following a procurement process prioritising innovation.
The supplier will engage with local communities and stakeholders through events, supply chain opportunities and volunteering initiatives. Regular updates will ensure lasting benefits for the region. Once complete, the project will remove around a third of Dungeness A’s above-ground structures, reducing the site’s footprint and long-term maintenance needs while supporting progress toward future beneficial land use.