HSE reviews decomissioning strategy for Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd nuclear licenced site
HSE Press Release:E155:04 - 9 November 2004
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a review of
the decommissioning strategy for the Urenco (Capenhurst) Limited
nuclear licensed site at Capenhurst, near Chester. HSE's HM
Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) undertook the review, in
consultation with the Environment Agency.
The Capenhurst nuclear licensed site comprises two separate
parts, one owned by BNFL, the other owned and operated by Urenco
(Capenhurst) Ltd (UCL), which undertakes uranium enrichment
operations based upon centrifuge technology. The review considers
UCL's strategy for decommissioning the site in relation to
regulatory guidance, underlying assumptions made and whether the
plans submitted are comprehensive and appropriate.
Key findings of the review include:
- NII's assessment concludes that UCL has a well-developed
and comprehensive set of site-specific strategies for managing
its redundant facilities and the process by-product of uranium
enrichment. NII would expect on-going radioactive waste
management issues to be addressed as part of the normal
regulatory requirements under the nuclear site licence
conditions;
- The strategy, so far as it is defined, is sufficiently
flexible to take account of changing circumstances;
- NII notes that, as a private company, UCL makes adequate
provision for its decommissioning liabilities but these are not
within a segregated fund;
- UCL's general approach that facilities should be
decommissioned as soon as they become redundant is consistent
with HSE expectations. UCL needs to provide further justification
for certain aspects of its waste management strategy including
the future long term management of the site;
- HSE will progress issues from this review with the licensee
as part of its routine regulatory work.
Copies of Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd's strategy for
decommissioning its nuclear licensed site: A review by HM Nuclear
Installations Inspectorate are available on HSE's web site
at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/uclqqr.pdf
Notes to Editors
- Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd is the Nuclear Site Licensee under
the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended) for part of the
Capenhurst nuclear site. BNFL is the licensee for the other part
of the Capenhurst site.
- The review was undertaken in accordance with the 1995 White
Paper: 'Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Final
Conclusions' (Cm 2919, Department of the Environment, HMSO,
1995, ISBN 0 11 08539 5). This stated that the Government would
ask nuclear operators to draw up strategies for decommissioning
their redundant plant and that HSE would review these on a
quinquennial (five-yearly) basis, in conjunction with the
environment agencies.
- Similar reviews of other licensees' strategies have been
(or are being) undertaken and reported on by HSE. These
quinquennial review reports, together with other reports on the
activities of nuclear licensees and background information on
nuclear safety regulation can be found on HSE's web site at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/index.htm
Press enquiries
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