Oldbury nuclear decommissioning site is a trailblazer for
robotics and other innovative approaches, with NRS deploying
robotics trials in South Gloucestershire to tackle some of the
most challenging aspects of legacy waste management, reducing
risk to workers and improving efficiency.
Two complementary project trials are underway at the site. The
first, led by NRS as part of the Robotics and Artificial
Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) collaboration, involves
teleoperated robotic arms for handling fuel element debris (FED).
FED is the material that historically housed nuclear fuel during
generation and was removed to allow for the nuclear fuel to be
separated and dispatched to Sellafield for reprocessing. This
material, which is safely stored on site, must now be carefully
retrieved and sorted as part of the decommissioning process.
The second is Auto-SAS, an autonomous sorting and segregation
system; led by NRS, funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning
Authority (NDA) and delivered in collaboration with the NDA group
and supply chain.
The main technology element is being delivered by ARCTEC, a
global technology company that designs and manufactures 3D
scanning hardware and software. Although both projects use
robotics, they are solving different problems at different stages
of waste management.
FED retrieval and sorting is an immediate operational challenge.
NRS's current approach to sorting FED requires people to work in
demanding environments. The task involves operators suiting up in
full PPE, and using manual tools with grippers on the end,
operating over thick protective walls.
The trials are exploring whether a teleoperated robotic arm can
give operators greater control while allowing them to work from a
safer distance, reducing the need for direct human handling
without disrupting the critical delivery path.
To overcome challenges associated with precision control of
teleoperated robot grippers, NRS is
working with the RAICo to integrate 3D visualisation tools and
haptic control systems. These translate human hand movement
direct to the robot, and resistance back to the operator's hand.
Auto-SAS is a longer-term programme designed to autonomously
identify, categorise and sort more complex mixed radioactive
waste, particularly waste that is difficult to handle manually
and may currently be directed to higher-cost disposal routes
simply because it cannot be easily separated.
It's an NDA funded group-wide demonstrator project, backed by
£9.5 million of NDA investment over four years, the system
combines robotics with sensing and characterisation technology to
improve that process, reduce hazards and potentially deliver
hundreds of millions of pounds in savings across the NDA group.
Phoebe Lynch, Head of Innovation at NRS, said:
NRS is passionate about harnessing the value of our sites and
teams to support innovation. This project showcases how NRS can
add value through externally funded projects which bring benefits
to our organisation and the wider NDA group.
Prof Melanie Brownridge, NDA Chief R&D Officer, said:
Across our 18 sites we're using robotics and innovation to help
accelerate our mission and move our people further from harm. The
learning generated here has value well beyond the site, and both
programmes are designed with scalability in mind.
Auto-SAS also has potential applications beyond the nuclear
sector, with the technology capable of addressing complex waste
sorting challenges in other industries.
The work has been made possible through strong partnerships with
RAICo, UKAEA and others across the NDA group, and reflects a
wider commitment to using innovation in a focused, practical way.
The goal is not innovation for its own sake, but using technology
to remove people from harm, reduce costs and build capability for
the future.
Varun Kumar, Robotics Engineer at RAICo, said:
There's huge interest in robotic arms in decommissioning, but
precision control and risk management are blockers. These
projects should enable operators to perform skilled sorting tasks
from a safe distance and even expand the role to operators who
cannot work in restrictive environments.
Active on-site commissioning and testing of Auto-SAS is expected
to begin around mid-2027. In the meantime, the NRS robotic arm
trials continue to build evidence for future deployment.
Together, the two programmes represent exciting developments for
the way nuclear waste is handled in the future.
