The nuclear industry marked three significant anniversaries this week as His Majesty The King met with members of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group in Caithness Scotland, during his annual visit to the region.

The visit recognised the NDA group’s progress in its national mission to safely decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear sites, and its long-standing contribution to sustainability and economic development in the region and across the UK.

HS2 lifts Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Emily’ from below ground at the Green Park Way site in Greenford, West London

On Saturday 26th July, the team working on the HS2 project lifted the TBM's 9.11metre diameter cutterhead, front and middle shield, weighing 880 tonnes, using a large gantry crane. The tunnelling machine concluded its 3.4-mile journey from Victoria Road in Ealing in June, arriving in an underground reception chamber. TBM Emily excavated 775,000 tonnes of London Clay and installed 17,514 concrete tunnel segments.

Guest: Blair Mitchell, Managing Director for Water, WSP
Interviewed by: Antony Oliver

In today’s episode we’re diving into one of the most pressing – and controversial – sectors in UK infrastructure: water.

Following years of public outrage over pollution, poor service and rising bills, the water industry in England and Wales now faces a once-in-a-generation reckoning.

HS2 is continuing to invest in local talent by welcoming university students onto a paid placement programme during the summer holidays.

Now in its fourth year, the eight-week ‘earn and learn’ programme forms part of a wider drive to retain local talent by giving students an insight into future career opportunities on their doorstep.

Guest: Mark Gilligan, Head of Infrastructure, AXA IM Alts
Interviewed by: Antony Oliver

In this podcast we delve into the fast-evolving world of infrastructure investment - an area that has never been more critical to delivering the economic growth, national resilience and transition to a net zero future demanded by the UK government.

10 projects from the first phase of the government's flagship hydrogen programme can begin construction.

In an update to the hydrogen market, the government has confirmed that 10 projects from the first phase of its flagship hydrogen programme – Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) – can begin construction, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.  

A team of robotics specialists have achieved a world first by fitting and operating a robotic arm inside an active nuclear glovebox at Sellafield.

A world first demonstration of a robotic arm being operated inside a glovebox at Sellafield Ltd

A key challenge at Sellafield is how to safely clean up and dispose of hundreds of redundant nuclear gloveboxes built up over decades of pioneering nuclear work.

Construction of Britain’s new high-speed railway has passed a major milestone with excavation of the 8.4-mile Northolt Tunnel under London. The fourth of four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) being used to dig the twin-bore tunnel - the second-longest on the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands - completed its work yesterday. The machine, named Anne, installed the final concrete ring underground before emerging into a vent shaft at Green Park Way in Greenford.

The 14-metre-tall dome closes the 44-metre-high reactor building, allowing its fit-out to accelerate. Images of the spectacular operation can be downloaded here - and the video can be downloaded here.

Work on Unit 2 was stopped during the pandemic, but teams are catching up on lost time.  Their progress is helped by innovation and experience from Unit 1, which means Unit 2 takes 20-30% less time to build. The twin nuclear reactors will provide reliable zero-carbon electricity for more than six million homes, boosting Britain’s energy security for decades to come.  

Almost £20 million funding was invested to help NRS communities grow and thrive in 2024/25. NRS has supported 149 projects to bring positive social change to benefit people living in communities across the UK – from Caithness to the tip of North Wales, down to the Bristol and English Channels.

Every £1 of the £2,287,696 NRS has invested unlocked another £8.23 in match funding, elevating the community support to over £18.8m. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority also directly supported four transformational projects with a share of over £900,000 - taking the total to almost £20m.

The NDA has published its strategy for consultation, setting out the roadmap to decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear sites safely, securely and sustainably.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has published its revised strategy for public consultation, setting out a clear roadmap for one of the UK’s most complex long-term environmental challenges.

As Armed Forces Week began, Altrad was proud to announce a new partnership with the inspirational charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers. The collaboration marks a significant step in our ongoing commitment to the military community, following the company’s signing of the Armed Forces Covenant last year.