N-Base Briefing 416


N-Base Briefing 416
15th May 2004

Decommissioning review

The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has published its review of the decommissioning strategy for the licensed nuclear site at the Barrow-in- Furness dockyard. Copies are available at www.hse.gov.uk/nsd/barrowqqr.pdf

Adviser visits

Mr Jeffrey Norris, the chief adviser to the prime minister on nuclear issues, visited Sellafield for two days last week to discuss the future of Sellafield.

Changes to Bill

The House of Lords has voted to support amendments to the Energy Bill that were sponsored by Cumbria County Council. The amendments, which still have to get approval in the House of Commons, make it a commitment for the proposed Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that it directly benefits communities suffering economically from the decommissioning of an nuclear site.

Decontamination

Guidance on the decontamination of buildings and other infrastructure following a chemical, biological or nuclear incident has been published by the Office of the Deputy Prime minister. Full details at www.odpm.gov.uk

NDA delays....

Greenpeace has claimed that European Commission approval is needed before the Energy Bill setting up the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority can be approved. The environment group says the legislation allows the Government to increase state aid to British Energy and for the NDA to take over the nuclear liabilities of private companies, including British Energy, and therefore needs commission approval under state subsidy rules.

...Bailout approved ?

The European Commission is ready to approve the UK Government's financial rescue of nuclear generator British Energy according to reports from Brussels. It is likely the commission will restrict the use of subsidies from the government and prevent the company from acquiring new electricity assets for five years.

Dropping fast breeders ?

The Atomic Energy Commission in Japan is reported to be considering a proposal to abandon work on fast breeder reactors - the same type of reactors Dounreay was built to develop.

Proposals defeated ?

Media reports suggest that European Commission proposals to introduce European safety regulation for nuclear plants and a timetable for planning and building radioactive waste storage sites are likely to be abandoned. Opposition has come mainly from the nuclear states of the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and Finland.

Not working

British Nuclear Fuels has admitted that its controversial plutonium-fuel manufacturing MOX plant is not working and has failed to produce a single commercial fuel assembly two-and-a-half years after testing first started. The problems are likely to undermine a visit to Japan this week by energy minister Stephen Timms intended to encourage the country's nuclear operators to sign contracts for MOX fuel from Sellafield.

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