11 Oct (NucNet): The cost of cleaning up 20 of Britain's nuclear facilities will be 37 billion pounds (GBP) (75 billion US dollars, 52 billion euro), compared to the GBP 30.6 billion estimated last year, according to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
In the NDA's annual report and accounts published on 9 October 2007,
chief executive Ian Roxburgh said the NDA owns a portfolio of
contaminated land and sites that can often have "a complex mix of
contamination dating back over 50 years". He said there will always be
"cost variability" in the long term.
Work to provide a "robust baseline" is continuing but the NDA expects to see further movement in this figure, he said.
The NDA's income from commercial operations was GBP 1.2 billion in the
operating year 2006-2007. This was about GBP 112 million less than
budgeted largely due to the continued unavailability of the thermal
oxide reprocessing plant (Thorp) at Sellafield to discharge various
contract obligations.
The NDA, whose annual budget for the fiscal year 2007-2008 is GBP 2.79
billion, was formed in 2005 to assume overall management for cleaning
up the UK's civil nuclear sites. It is responsible for 20 former United
Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency and British Nuclear Fuels Limited sites,
as well as a national waste strategy.
The NDA's Annual Report & Accounts 2006/7 can be downloaded in full from the authority's website (www.nda.gov.uk).
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
UK Launches Competition For Five Magnox Sites (World Nuclear Review No. 15, 13 April 2007)
Further Delays Possible At Thorp, Says UK Government (News in Brief No. 11, 18 June 2007)
NDA's Commercial Income Hit By Unavailability Of Thorp (World Nuclear Review No. 30 27 July 2007)
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