Last updated 19:45, Thursday, 10 July 2008

TODAY is D-day for Sellafield as 10,000 workers wait to learn the identity of their future bosses.

An announcement on the organisation to replace BNFL, will be announced.

The appointment will be made by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in a deal described as being on a financial scale similar to the 2012 London Olympics.

The four bidders are CH2M Hill; Serco-Bechtel-Babcock & Wilcox; URS Washington-Amec-Areva; and Fluor-Toshiba.

Copeland MP Jamie Reed said that this was a huge deal and could have the biggest impact on Sellafield and the West Cumbria economy, for 50 years.”

Jim Morse, NDA director, said: “Only four people in the NDA who have seen the competition process through will know. I don’t.”

Mr Morse felt Cumbria was poised for success if the area could capitalise on its nuclear assets.

Business secretary John Hutton will confirm a preferred bidder today before the result is telephoned to all four of the rival competition bidders in separate calls.

The respective managing directors will be waiting close to Sellafield before the winning company chief is taken to the Sellafield Centre.

There the news will be relayed to civic figures by NDA chief executive Dr Ian Roxburgh.

Sellafield managing director Barry Snelson will relay the news to his workforce.

“It will be the UK’s biggest public sector procurement contract, right up there with the Olympics,” said the NDA.

The privatisation contract could run for 17 years but will be reviewed after five years.

The winning company will receive £1.3 billion a year from the NDA to fund the Sellafield work programme, plus a dividend of up to £50 million a year based on improvement and efficiency savings.

GMB official Peter Kane warned: “Efficiencies and cost savings can mean jobs.”

Paul Shawcross, site vice-chairman for staff union Prospect, said: “If the winning bidder has an intention to make people redundant they must declare it before any share transfer. This is a legal requirement.”

The shares of ownership in Sellafield Ltd will transfer from BNFL to the new parent body.

Sellafield Ltd will continue to operate and manage the site although the NDA itself will be the legal owner of both assets and liabilities.

An NDA spokesman said: “There will be no re-branding exercise. Sellafield Ltd’s name will still be there on the signs, the safety hats and uniforms as well as the pay cheques.”

The parent body will form a new board of directors and there will also be changes in site executives.

There will also be a new Sellafield managing director, with Barry Snelson, head of site for the last four years , taking retirement at the end of November.

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