From week commencing 30th March to week commencing 4th May 2015. Energy & Business Services The MeyGen tidal project in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth continues to make progress.
AN excellent range of one-bedroom and studio flats with affordable rents are available now at Caberfeidh Court in Wick. Cairn Housing Association has 36 high quality properties that are available exclusively to people over 50 years of age.
As part of Operation Monarda, Police Scotland's campaign against Bogus Callers and associated Doorstep Crime, officers from Police Scotland, VOSA, SEPA and Highland Council Trading Standards, carried out a high visibility operations in both Inverness and Brora last week. Operation Monarda aims to raise awareness of bogus callers, rogue traders and associated doorstep crime by providing advice and information on how householders can protect themselves from such crimes.
The removal of trapped fuel elements from the Dounreay Fast Reactor moved a step closer with the successful trial of bespoke equipment to lift off the top plate. Decommissioning the 50-year-old experimental reactor is one of the most technically challenging projects in the NDA estate.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the public body that owns Dounreay and funds its clean up, has published its annual business plan, setting out key tasks for the site licence company DSRL to deliver in the next 12 months. These include: - Decontamination of Prototype Fast Reactor pond to meet regulatory requirements - Completion of construction of new fuel characterisation facilities - Material Test Reactor raffinate immobilisation complete - Continuous improvement in health, safety and environmental performance.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) estate has measured that over 21% of its spend is with SMEs. This equates to over £330 million spent out of our total annual supply chain spend of £1.7 billion.
Week Commencing 23rd March 2015. Energy & Business Services It was good to meet up this week with directors of Abbey Group, whose company Abbey Ecosse has taken over ownership of the Forss Science and Technology Park.
Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division today renewed its commitment to eradicating the scourge of doorstep crime and bogus callers. Operation Monarda drives home the message: "If In Doubt, Keep Them Out".
A NEW partnership agreement has been signed to develop and deliver training required at the Dounreay site during decommissioning work and help staff gain the qualifications they need to transfer to other employment sectors as the site closure progresses. Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL), responsible for the clean-up and demolition of Britain's former centre of fast reactor research and development, has established a memorandum of understanding with North Highland College UHI and the University of the Highlands and Islands to help close collaboration working and academic links across further and higher education and the nuclear industry.
Week Commencing 16th March 2015 Energy & Business Services The Meygen tidal energy project continues to progress, with arrival in Caithness of the steel to be used by JGC Engineering Services to fabricate the underwater structures in Phase 1 of the project. The steel arrived at Scrabster harbour and was safely offloaded by staff from JGC and H.
The regeneration of Wick will be given another boost if the planning committee on 24th March 2015 as expected approve the building of a new Archive Centre for Nuclear records in the UK. The Highland council archive centre currently based at Wick library will also relocate to the new building where it will occupy a small part of it.
Week Commencing 9th March 2015. This is a short message to update you on activities relating to the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership.
Week commencing 2nd March 2015. Energy & Business Services Good to see this week that a contract to deliver the subsea cabling for the Caithness-Moray Grid link continues to move forward with the news that SSE's Tier 1 contractor ABB has signalled its intent to contract Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) to deliver seabed clearance and trenching work.
Massive implications for people looking for Housing in Caithness. The way in which housing is allocated in Caithness has changed.
Week Commencing 23rd February 2015 Energy & Business Services Energy & Utility Skills and Scottish & Southern Energy have this week been advertising an exciting Employability Programme, based in part from North Highland College UHI in Thurso. The programme is aimed at people for whom finding work in the energy sector without previous experience is proving to be a barrier.
Week Commencing 16 February 2015 Enabling activities: This week around 70 businesses and organisations took part in an event led by Caithness Chamber of Commerce. Entitled "Investing in Our Young People" the event focused on the recommendations coming out of the "Commission for Developing Young People" led by Sir Ian Wood and published last summer.
Week Commencing 9 February 2015 Energy & Business services: Atlantis Resources, the company that owns the MeyGen tidal energy project, has issued an interesting Newsletter with updates on its progress - both on the ground at Ness of Quoys and with the build of its new 1.5MW AR1500 turbine. The newsletter includes interviews with its Chief Technology Officer and with the Chief Engineer of partner engineering design company Lockheed Martin.
Week Commencing 2 February 2015 Energy & Business services: I was delighted to take part this week with June Love in a visit from overseas representatives of an energy/ engineering company. The visit, which was coordinated by CNSRP partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise, took in specific locations in Caithness, and also allowed discussions to take place with relevant local representatives.
Week Commencing 26 January 2015 Energy & Business services: The offshore renewables industry has been in Aberdeen this week for Scottish Renewables' Offshore Wind & Supply Chain Conference/ Exhibition. The sector remains of real interest in the north due to the continuing developments with the two Moray Firth offshore windfarm consortiums - Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL) and Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL).