NuGen has awarded a £20m contract to assess the site of potential new nuclear reactors in west Cumbria.

The contract is the Moorside project’s largest so far and represents a major step forward in its construction.

It was awarded to Dutch firm Fugro, and will involve assessing the whole site in order to inform the design and layout of Moorside.

The work will start in December, and will support licensing, planning applications and other consents required to build the new nuclear power station near Sellafield.

The Moorside facility would generate 3.4 GW of electricity - seven per cent of the country's total electricity need.

It is predicted that construction will begin in 2019, with the first nuclear reactor becoming operational in 2024.

This onshore investigation is the first stage of the project and will go on until the summer of 2016, with the majority of the offshore element scheduled to begin in spring 2016.

The work will involve geotechnical site investigations, consisting of over 300 boreholes and laboratory analyses.

In addition 2D seismic surveys, topographical (terrain) surveys and groundwater monitoring will take place.

Offshore analysis will involve drilling a further 30 boreholes for sampling and testing, as well as studies of the ocean floor. Esa Heiskanen, NuGen’s chief project officer and deputy CEO, said: “The start of the site characterisation work marks an important stage for NuGen and the Moorside project. “The data we receive as a result of the work will be vital in developing the project which – when completed - will be capable of generating seven per-cent of the UK’s electricity.” NuGen says the contract is expected to rely on the local supply chain to deliver specific elements of the work, such as supplying plant and consumables. Ian Judge, Fugro’s project director, added: “We are delighted to be expanding our relationship with NuGen with the award of this site characterisation contract.

“It is one of the largest UK investigation contracts to be awarded as a single package and it recognises Fugro’s standing as an independent service provider as well as our unique ability to deliver integrated data for major developments such as the Moorside Project.” Russell Rome, NuGen’s head of contracts and purchasing, said: “This is the largest contract we have placed since NuGen signed the land deal with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and signifies that the next stage of the Moorside project is well underway.”