An energy company has won a contract to support the UK’s nuclear regulator.

Wood Plc, which provides project, engineering and technical services to energy and industrial markets across the world, has won a contract to provide the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) with technical safety advice and support.

The four-year framework covers the ONR’s activities in new build, power generation, decommissioning and defence.

Wood’s nuclear business employs more than 1,300 people in the North West, including at Sellafield and Whitehaven.

It has supported the UK nuclear regulator with technical safety advice and assessment work for more than 20 years.

Bob MacDonald, CEO of Wood Specialist Technical Solutions, said: "We are proud to support the ONR in its mission to ensure that the UK’s nuclear regulation is as robust as any in the world.

“This contract win recognises that the independent review and assurance provided by Wood’s experts has an important role to play in the regulatory process.”

Wood’s work will cover reactor core physics and fault studies, as well as specialist engineering and technical services.

This will include internal and external hazards; civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, control and instrumentation, probabilistic safety analysis, fuel design and reactor chemistry, radiation protection and radiological consequence analysis, structural integrity analysis, human factors and management of safety, and radioactive waste management and decommissioning.