NUCLEAR SAFETY WATCHDOG GRANTS DECOMMISSIONING CONSENT FOR BRADWELL

HSE press release: E248:03 -10 December 2003

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has granted consent for a decommissioning project at Bradwell power station to the licensee, Magnox Electric plc, under the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999. The Regulations are enforced by Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII).

Laurence Williams, HSE Director of Nuclear Safety and HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, commented:

"NII has done its utmost to ensure that the process of considering potential environmental impacts has been open and inclusive. This has involved extensive public consultation, and there has been a great deal of interest shown by national bodies and local groups alike. I sincerely thank everyone who has been involved in this important work, and especially those who took the time to send comments on the documentation provided by the licensee.

"All of us, and particularly the local population, have a keen and vested interest in the effectiveness of controlling environmental impacts during the decommissioning of Bradwell power station. NII has attached conditions to the Consent to require the licensee to provide a copy of its environmental management plan and its subsequent revisions to NII.

"Importantly, there is also a requirement for the licensee to keep the public regularly informed on progress by making their environmental management plans available for public inspection.

"I believe our decision-making process has been open and transparent. Openness and transparency will continue to be key factors in managing environmental impact throughout the coming decades of this decommissioning project."

Notes to editors

1. European Council Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/11/EC, sets out a framework for assessing the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. For decommissioning nuclear reactor projects, the Directive is implemented in Britain by the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999. The intention of the Directive and Regulations is to involve the public, through consultation, in considering the potential environmental impact of a decommissioning project, and to make the decision-making process on granting consent open and transparent.

2. The Regulations require a licensee to undertake an environmental impact assessment, prepare an environmental statement that summarises the environmental effects of the project, and apply to HSE for consent to carry out a decommissioning project. There is an optional stage where the licensee may request from HSE an opinion on what the environmental statement should contain (called a pre-application opinion).

3. The licensee of Bradwell power station, Magnox Electric plc, requested a pre-application opinion and
provided information in a scoping report in December 2000. HSE undertook a public consultation on this report and provided its pre-application opinion in April 2001. Magnox Electric plc applied to HSE for consent to carry out a decommissioning project and provided an environmental statement in April 2002. Following a public consultation on the environmental statement, HSE requested further information, which Magnox Electric plc subsequently provided. A further public consultation, which ended in August 2003, was undertaken on this additional information. All these public consultations involved around 70 organisations.

4. HSE granted consent under the Regulations to carry out a decommissioning project at Bradwell in December 2003, and attached conditions to the Consent. HSE took relevant factors into account when reaching its decision. Briefly, these were: the adequacy of information provided in the environmental statement and further information; the conclusion that environmental benefits would far outweigh detriments; the prediction that there would be no significant effects on other countries and recognition that some issues would be covered adequately elsewhere, such as through other regulatory regimes. The conditions attached to the Consent concern mitigation measures to prevent, reduce and, if possible, offset adverse environmental effects of the project. In brief, Magnox Electric plc must prepare an environmental management plan that identifies mitigation measures, and reports on implementation and effectiveness of, and any changes to, those measures (plus the reasons for any changes) in light of experience.

5. HSE must be notified in advance of any significant change to a mitigation measure to control any major adverse effects on the environment. A copy of the environmental management plan and its subsequent revisions must be sent to HSE and made available to the public.

'The decision on the application to carry out a decommissioning project at Bradwell Power Station under the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999: A report prepared by HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive', will be published by HSE, December 2003. The report will shortly be available on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/

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