British Energy chooses Atkins’ skills for strategic partnership - 1 May 2008
Atkins has been chosen by British Energy as one of four partners to comprise a strategic alliance worth up to £20 million per year over five years to provide engineering and technical support to its nuclear fleet of stations.
With AMEC, Frazer-Nash Consultancy and Serco Assurance, Atkins will work alongside British Energy in the Technical Support Alliance (TSA).
Malcolm Twist, British Energy’s head of supply chain and outage, said: “This is a skilled team that will provide technical support to our fleet of nuclear reactors to ensure they continue to meet the energy needs of the UK. The TSA provides the company with long term access to a highly qualified pool of engineering skills and experience.”
Other suppliers will become involved as business needs develop, and the contracts may be extended beyond the initial five years.
“This is exciting news for Atkins,” says Atkins' Executive Board Director, Ivor Catto. “We have been involved with BE for many years, and this comes at a time when the UK’s nuclear industry is of increasing national importance. The contract will give us a platform to further develop our specialist nuclear capability and confirms our decision to put nuclear firmly at the centre of our strategic plans.”
The TSA is the renewal of a previous arrangement which has already delivered more than £80 million of work and provided British Energy with access to specialist third party technical capability.
While British Energy is responsible for the safe and effective running of the power stations, a support infrastructure is required which includes the TSA work programme. The TSA provides certainty and transparency for all participants.
Ivor adds: “Within the TSA, each participant has a vested interest in ensuring successful delivery. The more reliable British Energy’s engineering delivery, then the greater likelihood of generating more reliably.
“All partners contribute to the annual TSA business plan and are able to help each other to achieve greater efficiencies.”
ENDS
ENQUIRIES:
Jennifer MacGregor-Smith
Communications Manager Atkins
+44 (0) 1224 619421
Email: jen.macgregor-smith@atkinsglobal.com
British Energy
Sue Fletcher +44 (0) 1355 846282 or +44 (0) 7736 727964
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) plans, designs and enables the delivery of complex infrastructure and buildings for clients in the public and private sectors across the world. Atkins is the largest multi-disciplinary consultancy in Europe, the largest engineering consultancy in the UK and the world’s fifth largest international design firm (sources: New Civil Engineer Consultants File, 2007; Building Magazine, 2007; Engineering News Record, 2007).