Wragge & Co LLP Corporate group has advised AMEC plc in relation to a successful award of the Sellafield nuclear facility contract. The Nuclear Management Partners (NMP) consortium, which comprises AMEC, URS Washington Division and Areva, has been awarded the contract through the Parent Body Agreement (PBA) following its selection as preferred bidder.

The PBA specifies the obligations of NMP (Parent Body Organisation) as owner of the Sellafield Site Licence Company (SLC) in areas such as financing, deployment of key resources and the enhancement of performance in key areas. The Management and Operations contract (M&O) between Sellafield Limited and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority embodies the delivery of all work across the SLC sites in accordance with specified terms and conditions.

The award of the PBA is initially for a five-year period, with potential for further extension periods, subject to performance, to a total of seventeen years. The M&O contract offers business initially to the value of £1.3 billion per annum. Ownership of the assets will remain with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

London-based corporate partner Richard Haywood and associate Gareth Baker advised AMEC on the terms of the shareholders' agreement between the consortium parties. Partner Simon Taylor advised on public procurement and antitrust in relation to merger control issues. A cross-firm team including IP partner Michael Luckman, dispute resolution partner Clark Sargent, employment partner Patrick Brodie and banking & finance partner Julian Pallett also advised. They worked closely with Kevin Smith, legal director of AMEC's Power & Process division.

Richard Haywood said: "It was a real pleasure working with Kevin Smith, the AMEC team and the other consortium members and their advisers on this pivotal deal for the UK's nuclear industry. AMEC and the consortium members will contribute world-class skills to the Sellafield site."

The Sellafield nuclear facility, owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, is based in Cumbria. It contains the Thorp and Magnox reprocessing plants, the Sellafield MOX plant, Calder Hall power station and waste management facilities. The contract will also cover Windscale, the Capenhurst nuclear facility and an engineering design centre near Warrington.

AMEC is the largest UK-based private sector supplier of programme management and engineering services to the nuclear sector. With annual revenues of £2.3 billion, it designs, delivers and maintains strategic and complex assets for its customers and employs over 23,000 people in more than 30 countries globally.

Hammonds LLP advised URS Washington Division and NMP in relation to the bid. The Paris office of US firm Davis Polk & Wardwell advised Areva.

Wragge & Co's 70-strong Corporate group advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, IPOs, joint ventures, public takeovers, share schemes, complex structuring and tax. It specialises in mid-market corporate transactions, advising companies ranging from global brands to private clients. The firm also has a strong reputation in the energy sector. Latest deals include acting for BP on a US$400 million biofuels investment deal with Associated British Foods and DuPont and advising Associated British Ports and a flagship combined heat and power energy project.

---

For further information about this press release, contact Kathryn Hobbs on +44 (0)121 685 2785, Rebecca Davies on +44 (0)121 685 3819, Gayle Redding on +44 (0)121 685 2708 or Rebecca Lum on +44 (0)121 260 9973

This press release may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.