Recommendation 17

The Department emphasised that it was applying significant learning from the experience of decommissioning the Magnox and AGR stations. For new nuclear stations a funded decommissioning plan has to be in place before construction begins. The Department told us that it was “building from the start with decommissioning in mind” and that this should mean that when the new nuclear stations cease operation there will be sufficient funds in place to carry out decommissioning.28 It also explained that new legislation also included provisions to enable provider contributions to be adjusted during the life of assets. The Department also expected that new technologies would mean that the proportion of whole-life costs accounted for by decommissioning would reduce for the new generation of nuclear reactors.29 25 Qq 59, 60; C&AG’s Report paras 1.9, 2.3 26 Q 5; C&AG’s report para 2.2 27 Qq 60–61 28 Q 29 29 Qq 29, 64 14 The future of the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors 2 Defueling and decommissioning the AGR stations Impact of closures on generating capacity