Recommendations & Conclusions
18 items
2
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The uncertainty affecting the Magnox sites reflects a wider uncertainty about the costs and timetable of decommissioning the whole civil nuclear estate. According to the NDA’s most recent estimates it will cost the UK taxpayer £132 billion to decommission the UK’s civil nuclear sites and the NDA estimates that the …
Government response. 2: PAC conclusion: The uncertainty affecting the Magnox sites reflects a wider uncertainty about the costs and timetable of decommissioning the whole civil nuclear estate. 2a: PAC recommendation: Taking into account the feedback from its public consultation, the Nuclear Decommissioning …
HM Treasury
3
Recommendation
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
A shortage of the right skills within the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and across the nuclear industry remains a significant barrier to progress. In our 2018 report on the failure of the Magnox contract we were highly critical of the lack of skills—particularly commercial skills—in the NDA. There is also a …
Government response. 3: PAC conclusion: A shortage of the right skills within the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and across the nuclear industry remains a significant barrier to progress. 3: PAC recommendation: Within 6 months of publication of this report, the department and the …
HM Treasury
4
Recommendation
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
For the new delivery model to work, it will be vital that the Department exercises strong oversight of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and implements the findings of forthcoming reviews into the failure of the original Magnox contract and the role of the Authority. Under the previous delivery model of outsourcing …
Government response. 2020. The department is revising the structures through which the contracts are managed to ensure that roles are more clearly defined and sufficiently resourced for all aspects of contract management to operate fully effectively. It is developing more robust operating …
HM Treasury
5
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is not doing enough to exploit its various assets, either for the benefit of local communities or the UK economy as a whole. The UK was the first country to establish a civil nuclear power generation industry and is still a world leader in nuclear decommissioning. …
Government response. 5: PAC conclusion: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is not doing enough to exploit its various assets, either for the benefit of local communities or the UK economy as a whole. 5: PAC recommendation: The NDA should develop a strategy for …
HM Treasury
6
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
Public accountability is hindered by a lack of transparency about the scale and nature of the challenge of decommissioning and the performance of the NDA. Nuclear decommissioning will cost current and future generations of taxpayers’ substantial sums of money and has a significant impact on the lives of those who …
Government response. 6: PAC conclusion: Public accountability is hindered by a lack of transparency about the scale and nature of the challenge of decommissioning and the performance of the NDA. 6: PAC recommendation: NDA should be more transparent about its current and …
HM Treasury
1
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Business, Energy and the Industrial Strategy (The Department) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) on the decommissioning of the UK’s Magnox power stations and other civil nuclear sites.1
Government response. On the basis of a report by the National Audit Office, the Committee took evidence, on 5th October from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. The Committee published its report on 27th November. This is the government’s response …
HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
An informed understanding of the sites is important to develop reliable estimates of the potential costs and duration of decommissioning each site and to support decision- making about the most efficient ways to decommission them and the order in which they should be tackled. The NDA considers that reducing the …
Government response. 2. 1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2021 2.2 The NDA is charged with the mission to clean-up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites safely, securely and cost-effectively. 21 2.3 In April 2019, it launched …
HM Treasury
8
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
There is also an opportunity to save taxpayers’ money by accelerating the programme to create a deep storage facility, known as the Geological Disposal Facility, to store highly radioactive waste that is currently held at interim facilities at Sellafield and the sites of former power stations elsewhere in the UK. …
Government response. 2.12 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.13 The NDA and the government agree that it is a priority to identify a location for a geological disposal facility. A process to identify a location is currently underway. …
HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
While the cost of decommissioning represents a substantial liability for the UK taxpayer, the NDA was keen to point out that it also raises substantial income—around £800m a year—through commercial opportunities including the export of advice, skills and technologies to other countries with nuclear sites to decommission. The NDA has …
Government response. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Winter 2021 5.2 NDA’s forthcoming Strategy, a draft of which was recently subject to consultation, discusses the economic benefits of the NDA’s work, its support for the Nuclear Sector …
HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The NDA told us about some notable achievements in relation to the decommissioning of the Magnox sites to date: for example, all 26 Magnox reactors have now been defueled, and all the fuel taken to Sellafield for safekeeping, thereby reducing by over 95% the radioactivity on the Magnox sites;18 and …
Government response. The NDA told us about some notable achievements in relation to the decommissioning of the Magnox sites to date: for example, all 26 Magnox reactors have now been defueled, and all the fuel taken to Sellafield for safekeeping, thereby reducing …
HM Treasury
11
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The NDA owns and occupies substantial amounts of land that could be returned to communities or exploited for commercial or socially beneficial use, and could provide employment in nearby communities. For example, at its Harwell site the NDA said it had been able to excavate and give 50 acres of …
Government response. The NDA owns and occupies substantial amounts of land that could be returned to communities or exploited for commercial or socially beneficial use, and could provide employment in nearby communities. For example, at its Harwell site the NDA said it …
HM Treasury
12
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
In our 2018 report on the Magnox contract we identified that lack of commercial capability—including getting rid of the post of Commercial Director—contributed to the organisation being unable to manage the original Magnox contract effectively.22 The NDA informed us about a number of areas in which it has made improvements …
Government response. In our 2018 report on the Magnox contract we identified that lack of commercial capability—including getting rid of the post of Commercial Director—contributed to the organisation being unable to manage the original Magnox contract effectively.22 The NDA informed us about …
HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The Department and the NDA pointed to the increasing importance of developing skills across the industry. The NDA is taking steps to increase training opportunities to further develop technical skills that are in short supply in the UK and which are in high demand from the private sector and from …
Government response. The Department and the NDA pointed to the increasing importance of developing skills across the industry. The NDA is taking steps to increase training opportunities to further develop technical skills that are in short supply in the UK and which …
HM Treasury
14
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The Department acknowledged the improvements which the NDA has made in developing its own skills and capability.25 The Department also told us that, to improve its capability to oversee the NDA’s activities, it had so far been able to retain high quality staff with relevant experience, despite the challenges of …
Government response. The Department acknowledged the improvements which the NDA has made in developing its own skills and capability.25 The Department also told us that, to improve its capability to oversee the NDA’s activities, it had so far been able to retain …
HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
In September 2019, the NDA’s Magnox contract with CFP ended following a two- year run off period, and the 12 sites transferred to the NDA under the management of its subsidiary, Magnox Ltd.27 Under the previous model, the NDA essentially outsourced management and oversight of nuclear sites to the private …
Government response. In September 2019, the NDA’s Magnox contract with CFP ended following a two- year run off period, and the 12 sites transferred to the NDA under the management of its subsidiary, Magnox Ltd.27 Under the previous model, the NDA essentially …
HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
We asked the Department if it believed it now had sufficient oversight and governance arrangements in place to oversee what the NDA is doing. The Department admitted that under its previous governance regime it had missed some of the issues that led to the failure of the Magnox contract, but …
Government response. We asked the Department if it believed it now had sufficient oversight and governance arrangements in place to oversee what the NDA is doing. The Department admitted that under its previous governance regime it had missed some of the issues …
HM Treasury
17
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
We asked the Department about the progress of the Holliday inquiry into the failure of the Magnox procurement and contract which was launched in 2018, and of the Department’s ‘Tailored Review’ of the role and governance of the NDA. The Department committed to ensuring that these reports are completed and …
Government response. We asked the Department about the progress of the Holliday inquiry into the failure of the Magnox procurement and contract which was launched in 2018, and of the Department’s ‘Tailored Review’ of the role and governance of the NDA. The …
HM Treasury
18
Conclusion
Twenty-Eighth Report - The Nuclear Deco…
The public is not fully aware of the challenges of nuclear decommissioning and given past problems in the industry, the public image of the sector requires some improvement.33 28 Qq 89, 90 29 Qq 55 - 57 30 Q 69 31 Qq 53–54, 32 Q 86, PAC report, recommendation 6. …
Government response. The public is not fully aware of the challenges of nuclear decommissioning and given past problems in the industry, the public image of the sector requires some improvement.33 28 Qq 89, 90 29 Qq 55 - 57 30 Q 69 …
HM Treasury