News Archive

Ministers Set Out Blueprint For Scotland's Railways

Scottish Ministers have today published a �3.6 billion rail blueprint aimed at cutting journey times, increasing capacity and meeting rising passenger demand up to 2014.   The plan details what Ministers want the rail industry to deliver between 2009 and 2014 - and the money from the existing transport budget to deliver it.  

UKAEA Fined �15,000 - MARSHALL LAB - IMPROVEMENTS TO PROCEDURES MADE

Improvements have been made to the UKAEA's procedures for temporary waste storage following shortcomings identified by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.   Speaking outside Wick Sheriff Court, where UKAEA was fined �15,000 after pleading guilty to the charge, Simon Middlemas, Dounreay's site director said "We accept some mistakes were made in the Marshall Lab at the beginning of last year resulting in a worker receiving a very minimal plutonium intake.  

Amanda's Flower Shop In Wick Goes Online

It's not always easy for people who are away from home or for family or friends who are abroad to find a local florist, especially with so many companies now sending "boxed flowers".   Amanda's are making life easier to reach out across the miles by adding a web site to show what they offer.  

Christmas In July At Sainsburys For Mey Selections Suppliers

Local Farmer and chairman of Mey Selections Danny Miller was once again beating the trail to Sainsbury's in London to highlight the growing range of high quality food products from the north of Scotland that willbe available for stores in time for Christmas.   Suppliers from Mey Selections brought Christmas to Sainsburys HQ in July.  

North Wholesaler Has Its Ear To The Ground

One of Wick's longest-established businesses has proved it has its ear to the ground by introducing a ground-breaking, high-tech computerised system that automatically guides staff to the right area of its warehouse.   The system at Sutherland Brothers Ltd has been assisted with a �24,000 grant from HIE Caithness and Sutherland and allows staff to hear instructions through headphones which help them select the correct item to add to customer orders.  

ABSL POWER SOLUTIONS AND ULTRACELL(r) Portable Fuel Cell system

ABSL POWER SOLUTIONS AND ULTRACELL(r) PARTNER TO MARKET PORTABLE FUEL CELL SYSTEMS ACROSS EUROPE ABSL Power Solutions Ltd (ABSL), a leading UK portable power developer and manufacturer, and UltraCell Corporation, a leading producer of reformed methanol fuel cells (RMFCs) for mobile power applications, today signed a partnership agreement to deliver solutions based on UltraCell's groundbreaking fuel cell system, the XX25(tm), in the UK and throughout Europe.   Under the terms of the new agreement, ABSL will market the XX25 system in the UK and across Europe.  

Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 6

POLISH OR DEMOLISH DEBATE CONTINUES Following a recent visit to the site by two senior inspectors from Historic Scotland, UKAEA and the organisation responsible for protecting Scotland's heritage have agreed to formulate a heritage strategy for the future of the iconic features of the site.   Following her visit to Dounreay, Deborah Mays, head of listing for Historic Scotland, said: "There is a lot of interest in seeing the dome preserved as it is a popular landmark, but this must be balanced with the critical realities of the decontamination exercise.  

Have you entered the Highland & Islands Food and Drink Awards?

Scrumptious salmon, tasty tablet and delicious drinks are being sought by the Highland and Islands Food and Drink Awards which is now open for entries.  These prestigious awards, in their third year, celebrate the diverse range of food and drink products grown and produced locally, as well as industry related services.  

Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 5

SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGE Building on our worldwide links with the nuclear industry, Neil Henderson, a safety case project manager at Dounreay, was invited by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in conjunction with the Government of South Korea, to be part of an Operational Safety Review Team to review the Yonggwang Nuclear Power Plant, Units 5&6, in South Korea.   The Yonggwang site has six pressurised water reactor units with approximately 6,000MW capacity and is operated by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co.  

SUBSEA ENERGY CABLE STUDY EXAMINED BY HIE AND PARTNERS

The case for laying long distance subsea cables from renewable energy projects on Scotland's islands to areas of large population in the south is far from being clear cut under current regulation, according to a key consultants' report.   The review was prepared by TNEI for island authorities together with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Scottish Executive to investigate the best options for transmitting power generated by island renewable energy projects to the mainland TNEI described the current situation as a 'Catch-22 scenario' whereby prospective renewable energy developers require confidence that they will be able to connect to the grid, but conversely, investment in grid infrastructure is reliant on securing a guaranteed level of supply.