Sellafield Repack Project underground services

We safely excavated the site & installed the new services in a highly congested area, delivering the project 1 week early.

The project scope

The scheme involved the excavation and installation of the deep drainage systems and service ducting for the Sellafield Repack Project. Our scope of work included:

• Stakeholder engagement, work pack preparation, surveys and setting out.

• Traffic and pedestrian management.

• Installation of deep surface water drainage system including concrete pipework up to 3m deep.

• Installation of foul water drainage system up to 2m deep.

• Installation of manholes, valves, and washout chambers.

• Installation of service ducting and draw pits up to 2m deep.

• Backfill, reinstatement of road base, binder and wearing course.

Key quantities:

• Drainage installed: 260 m
• Welded PE piping: 450 m
• 150mm service ducting: 1,250 m

Challenges & successes

Based on previous exploratory work, we anticipated and subsequently found many uncharted buried services and features, including redundant 11kv cables, asbestos contamination and redundant concrete foundations blocking the drainage route. Using our proven safe excavation techniques, including vacuum excavation, we safely excavated the services trenches. The project was located on one of the main operational traffic routes through the Sellafield site, which had to be reopened as quickly as possible to maintain site operations. We worked with our client Morgan Sindall and Sellafield Ltd operating departments to establish traffic management diversions and to coordinate the work daily. By working 24/7 on this project, it was successfully completed 1 week ahead of schedule, meaning that our client met their KPI milestone.