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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

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