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The Government has published a public consultation on an application from the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) for Justification of a class or type of practice including four nuclear reactor designs.
Details of the application and the consultation can be found below:
In connection with the consultation, we are placing on the website a report by Integrated Decision Management:
The concept of Justification is based on the internationally accepted principle of radiological protection that no practice involving exposure to ionising radiation should be adopted unless it produces sufficient net benefits to the exposed individuals, or society, to offset any radiation detriment it may cause.
This principle is derived from the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and included in the European Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996 which sets the basic safety standards for protection the health of workers and the general public against dangers arising from ionizing radiation.
In the UK, the principle is enshrined in The Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 (SI 2004/1769).
These regulations require any new class or type of practice involving ionising radiation to undergo a generic, high-level, pre-optimisation assessment of whether the social, economic or other benefits outweigh any associated health detriment, before it can be introduced in the UK. It is not necessary to show that the class or type of practice is the best of all available options, but instead that there is a net benefit.
As nuclear power stations involve the use of materials that give off ionising radiation, any new class of type of practice relating to new nuclear power must be Justified before it can be introduced.
There are four Justifying Authorities in the UK, namely, the relevant Secretary of State and the three Devolved Administrations to the extent that they have competence in respect of the subject matter of a particular justification application. Since nuclear energy is a reserved matter, the responsibility for reaching a Justification decision in such matters rests with the Secretary of State for BERR who is the sole Justifying Authority in the UK.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have produced guidance on the general application of the 2004 Justification Regulations: The Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 – Guidance on their Application and Administration.
We issued guidance, in March 2008, to provide specific advice to anyone seeking a Justification decision in relation to new nuclear power. This sets out the administrative procedures that will be used by the Justifying Authority to consider applications and provides additional advice for applicants.
For more information, please contact the DECC Justification Assessment Centre on 020 7215 5223 or e-mail justification@decc.gsi.gov.uk
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