Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 21, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) and the UK’s Sellafield Ltd have decided to extend their cooperation agreement on nuclear decommissioning for up to another 10 years. The two organizations originally signed the agreement in September 2014, establishing a framework for sharing knowledge and expertise to support decommissioning efforts at both Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi and the UK’s Sellafield site.

The collaboration covers a wide range of technical and operational areas, including site operation and management, environmental monitoring, radiation protection, project management, design engineering, stakeholder engagement, and procurement strategies. Both sides emphasized that the extension builds on the achievements made during the past decade.

Sellafield Ltd stated: “After a positive first 10 years of collaboration, the companies have pledged to continue their relationship for up to a further decade.” The extension agreement was formally signed on 11 September by Akira Ono, chief decommissioning officer of Fukushima Daiichi, during his visit to the Sellafield site.

Sellafield Ltd CEO Euan Hutton highlighted the significance of this cooperation: “Very few places in the world have decommissioning challenges akin to those at Sellafield. By working together with Tepco, we can unlock new technology and techniques. Over the years we have had reciprocal visits and workshops, and we've welcomed secondees from Tepco to the Sellafield site.”

Ono also underlined the benefits of the collaboration, saying: “The cooperation to date has been a major force in advancing our decommissioning work. By incorporating international experience and technology, we have achieved results that contribute to the creation of a more reliable and safe decommissioning process. Furthermore, by sharing Japan's efforts and achievements, we have built a relationship of mutual learning.”

He added: “The extension of this agreement is a new departure point for further deepening and developing this relationship of mutual benefit. Through continued cooperation between Tepco and Sellafield, we shall further promote international initiatives and steadily move forward with the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.”

The agreement reflects the growing importance of international collaboration in tackling complex nuclear decommissioning projects. Both Tepco and Sellafield face unique challenges at their respective sites, and the partnership allows the exchange of expertise, development of innovative approaches, and long-term capacity building.

With this extension, the two organizations aim to strengthen cooperation not only in technical fields but also in management practices and stakeholder engagement. The continued partnership is expected to support progress in safe and efficient decommissioning operations, while also contributing to advancements in global nuclear decommissioning knowledge.

The new phase of collaboration marks a sustained commitment to sharing expertise and applying lessons learned across borders, ensuring that both Japan and the UK benefit from joint experience as they address their respective decommissioning challenges.