Recent Highlights
Director/ Freelance Consultant, Genesis Nuclear Ltd, 2015 – present
- For my most recent Contract I prepared Stage 0 (Case for Change) and Stage A (Credible Options) SMS papers for Magnox Ltd. for their reactor dismantling waste strategy, supporting the Magnox Rolling Programme of Decommissioning. The papers considered waste streams on an NDA portfolio basis to enable synergies and economies of scale to be leveraged for common waste types. To support this work I also undertook an international review of modern techniques and approaches to radioactive waste management, focusing on experience at recent and planned reactor dismantling projects.
- Prior to this I provided specialist support to the NDA in authoring a multi-£billion strategic case assessing the optimum timing and sequencing of the reactor dismantling programme across the 10 Magnox reactor sites, for appraisal by Government (BEIS). This work built upon previous work I undertook for the NDA on this topic strategy and played a key role in making the case for a major strategy change to a ‘continuous decommissioning programme’ across the Magnox sites.
- I was embedded for 2 years in NuGen as their Radioactive Waste & Decommissioning Manager. Working as a senior member of the Funded Decommissioning Programme (FDP) team, I was Client Lead for development of the Decommissioning & Waste Management Plan (DWMP). I managed an integrated delivery team comprising specialists from several countries and a range of contractors. I had regular contact with interfaces within the Parent Companies, the NDA, Government and the Regulators.
- During this time I also developed and authored NuGen reports on Moorside Radioactive Waste Strategy and Decommissioning Strategy, which helped to establish an agreed position between the Parent Companies on the most appropriate waste management and decommissioning approaches and techniques to adopt for the project. I was presented an award by NuGen’s Chief Executive for this work which was used as an example of best practice for strategy development across the business.
Experience in Prior 10 Years
Principal Waste Consultant, EnergySolutions and Magnox Ltd, 2004 – 2014
- I performed a senior strategic and technical role within the Magnox PBO organisation from inception to the end of the Contract; I was proposed to continue in-role as part of the Bechtel/ EnergySolutions bid. I was responsible for management and integration of complex multi-disciplinary strategic projects.
- I successfully managed and delivered several strategy development projects for Magnox as Delivery Partner to NDA. My work was instrumental in formulating lifecycle innovation and in helping the Magnox PBO secure a two- year Contract extension.
- In 2014 I authored an NDA strategy paper assessing the merits of a phased programme of reactor dismantling, commencing prior to the end of the Magnox C&M Preps phase, to avoid a period of fleet wide quiescence, and offering new prospects – this supported an NDA Strategic Review of Magnox Strategy and featured prominently in the subsequent NDA Strategy publication.
- I championed risk-informed approaches to waste classification, for example alternative approaches to FED management such as reclassification for LLWR disposal, and for alternative management of certain short-lived ILW.
- I also developed the strategic case for a lower cost, lower risk strategy for FED management at Hunterston A leading to the abandonment of FED dissolution plans at this site and resulting in a cost saving of tens of £millions.
- As strategic lead for an NDA strategy development project assessing options for the management of waste arising in Central and Southern Scotland, I helped NDA secure broad-based support for ILW storage consolidation at the adjacent Magnox and EDF Hunterston sites – the learning supported a Magnox fleet wide appraisal and eventual roll-out of the ILW storage consolidation strategy at Magnox sites in England and Wales.
- As concept originator and strategic lead for the Graphite Pathfinder Project, I was a leading advocate for Near Surface Disposal as an alternative to GDF disposal for Magnox reactor wastes and championed this concept as an enabler for a demonstration early Final Site Clearance project.
- I was Permitting Lead for the first landfill to be licensed for disposal of VLLW under the UK’s LLW Policy, as part of a commercial joint venture between EnergySolutions and Waste Recycling Group. During this period I was also proposed as Strategic Planning Manager for the LLW National Programme, as part of the EnergySolutions led bid for the LLWR PBO Contract in the first NDA PBO Competition.
- My skills and experience are underpinned by collaboration with companies, service providers and agencies in other countries, having visited many overseas nuclear facilities to learn about best practices and cost-reducing strategies. I was an IAEA Expert on a mission to Chernobyl to share experience on decommissioning gas-cooled, graphite moderated reactors and authored the mission report.
- I am experienced in public speaking. I have designed workshops with community representatives, led discussions with site stakeholder groups and built relationships founded on openness, trust and respect. I have twice run the stakeholder engagement forum at the Cambridge Decommissioning Summer School.
Previous Experience
Roles for SEPA and Magnox Electric plc, 1996 - 2003
- Field Operations Manager, Radioactive Substances Unit, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), 2002-2003. Managed a regulatory team of SEPA Field Officers, providing a service founded on consistent and up-to-date advice and guidance on radioactive waste management and pollution control. Lead Regulator for the majority of sites and premises that use radioactive material or produce radioactive waste in Scotland - spanning 4 nuclear power stations, a nuclear dockyard, 2 naval bases and a large number of small user premises. Broadened regulatory team in anticipation of decommissioning, introduced an outcome oriented approach with emphasis on influencing operator behaviour/ performance.
- Strategic, project and technical roles, Magnox Electric Ltd, 1996 – 2002. Strategy Analyst within a team responsible for stewardship of liabilities estimated at £12 billion, specialising in contaminated land. Intelligent customer for contaminated land management, led desk studies and site investigations. Member of inter-industry groups on contaminated land management, clearance and exemptions. First role involved working in a specialist plant & environmental measurements team.
