Politics Home Article | Innovative robotics trialled to tackle nuclear waste challenges

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.