BUSINESSES in the region are being urged to bid for contracts in a £55bn programme to decommission the country's ageing nuclear reactors.

The Government has announced that the contracts are available over the next 50 years at sites including Sellafield, on the Cumbrian coast, and Dounreay, in Scotland.

Part of a programme to ensure a safe clean-up of the reactors, the contracts are available to companies with experience ranging from specialist waste operators to construction companies that can build processing plants needed as part of the work.

The contracts do not necessarily involve handling radioactive waste, but there are opportunities for companies developing robotics for use in dealing with radioactive material.

The British Nuclear Energy Society (BNES) and regional development agency One NorthEast will stage an event in Newcastle on Monday, September 27, to promote the opportunities available.

BNES was created in 1962 to encourage better understanding of the nuclear industry, including decommissioning and the disposal of waste.

One NorthEast has already worked closely with the society to help companies in the region take advantage of the opportunities, and now the BNES is creating a regional branch.

The event takes place in Newcastle Civic Centre, at 7pm, and includes a lecture by Dr Sue Ion, director of technology for nuclear generator BNFL and president of BNES. A series of workshops will also be arranged for the following months.

For details, call 0191-229 6373 .