One of the most senior figures in the global nuclear industry has made a rare visit to the Sellafield.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saw first-hand the progress being made in cleaning up Europe’s largest nuclear site.

It was the first visit to Sellafield by an IAEA Director General since 2001 and was arranged to coincide with Mr Grossi’s attendance to the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.

He was joined by David Peattie, CEO of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and Martin Chown, Sellafield Ltd’s Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Grossi said: “Through innovative technologies, including robotics and digitalisation, Sellafield is addressing the decommissioning and waste management challenges that are a legacy of the very first days of the nuclear age.

“The NDA is sharing its skills and experiences internationally, including through the IAEA, to help countries ensure that the benefits of low-carbon nuclear energy remain safe, secure and sustainable for decades to come.”

Mr Grossi viewed decommissioning progress at Sellafield’s Pile Fuel Cladding Silo, one of the site’s oldest facilities and highest priority projects, and toured Calder Hall, the world’s first commercial-scale nuclear power station.

Mr Chown said: “I was delighted to be able to show Mr Grossi the huge progress we’ve made at Sellafield.

“We were able to demonstrate how we’re achieving our purpose to create a clean and safe environment for future generations.”