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Decommissioning
Decommissioning is the name given to the process of
dismantling nuclear facilities and decontaminating
their associated land.
Distribution of
liabilities
Decommissioning
policy
Current policy on decommissioning was laid down in a
1995 White Paper (Cm2919) reflecting the outcome of
the 1994 Nuclear Policy Review.
Cm2919 set out the following key points:
- Operators of nuclear power stations should
not foreclose the option of early
decommissioning. Nonetheless, there are a
number of potentially feasible strategies for
decommissioning nuclear power stations,
including safestore
- Decommissioning should be undertaken as soon
as it is reasonably practical to do so,
taking account of all relevant factors
- Nuclear licensees should draw up
decommissioning strategies. These will be
reviewed every five years by the HSE
consulting with the EA or SEPA as
appropriate; and
- Segregated funds should be established for
privatised nuclear operators (e.g. British
Energy)
Responses to MRWS on
decommissioning policy
Views on the government's approach to decommissioning
policy were sought by Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS).
Around one third of respondents commented on
decommissioning policy. While many respondents
expressed broad satisfaction with the current
position on decommissioning policy, others raised
issues which require further examination.
Access
the Summary of the responses to MRWS here.
Decommissioning
Policy Consultation
The Government published its public consultation
document on modernising the policy on decommissioning
the UK's nuclear facilities on 28 November 2003. We
are interested in your views. Access the consultation document here.
The consultation period ends on 27 February 2004.
ILW Substitution Consultation
The DTI published a consultation paper on proposals for Intermediate
Level Waste (ILW) substitution on 30 January 2004. The consultation
seeks views on a report by independent consultants NAC Worldwide
Consulting on the substitution of high level radioactive wastes (HLW)
for ILW when returning wastes produced by the reprocessing of
foreign spent nuclear fuel to their country of origin. The
government seeks views on whether ILW substitution should become
policy. The consultation period closes on 30 April 2004. The
consultation document can be accessed here.
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