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NDA Strategy 2021

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NDA Strategy 2021 Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Strategy Effective from March 2021 Cleaning up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites, caring for people and the environment Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Strategy Effective from March 2021 Strategy presented to Parliament pursuant to Schedule 2 of the Energy Act 2004. Strategy presented to Scottish Parliament pursuant to Schedule 2 of the Energy Act 2004. March 2021 SG/2021/48 NDA Strategy 3 © Nuclear Decommissioning Authority copyright (2021) This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ version/3. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/official-documents. Any enquiries related to this publication should be sent to us at: NDA Strategy Herdus House Westlakes Science & Technology Park Moor Row Cumbria CA24 3HU ISBN 978-1-5286-2451-0 CCS0321136060 03/21 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum Printed in the UK by the APS Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Some images supplied courtesy of site licence companies. Every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of material or images produced or used by the NDA. However, the NDA cannot guarantee that the images shown will always be current, accurate or complete and does not warrant or endorse the accuracy or completeness of the images. © Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (2021) 4 Contents Preface 7 8.7 Asset Management 111 Case Study: Quality and Continuous 1.0 Introduction 9 Improvement (First Generation Magnox Storage Pond) 112 1.1 Background 9 8.8 Supply Chain 114 1.2 Current Context 14 Case Study: Supply Chain Small and 1.3 Funding 17 Medium Enterprise Engagement 116 2.0 Our Approach to Strategy 18 8.9 Information Governance 117 Case Study: Higher Activity Waste 2.1 Strategic Themes and Topics 18 Package Records 119 2.2 Strategy Management 19 8.10 Socio-Economics 120 2.3 Lessons from Strategy (2016) 21 Case Study: Scrabster Harbour (Caithness) 123 3.0 Our Evolving Strategy 22 8.11 Public and Stakeholder Engagement 124 8.12 Transport and Logistics 127 4.0 Site Decommissioning and Remediation 26 Case Study: Consolidation of Spent Fuel and Nuclear Materials 130 Case Study: Ponds and Silos at Sellafield 31 8.13 International Relations 131 4.1 Decommissioning 32 Case Study: Developing Relationships Case Study: Timing of the Magnox in Japan 133 Reactor Decommissioning Strategy 35 4.2 Land Quality Management 37 4.3 Site Interim and End States 39 9.0 Non-NDA Liabilities 134 Case Study: Optimising Site End States 42 Case Study: Treatment and Storage of 4.4 Land Use 44 Atomic Weapons Establishment Higher Activity Waste 136 5.0 Spent Fuels 46 5.1 Spent Oxide Fuel 50 10.0 Information on the NDA group 138 5.2 Spent Magnox Fuel 52 5.3 Spent Exotic Fuel 54 References 159 The Vision: Nuclear Safeguards 56 Appendices 162 6.0 Nuclear Materials 58 A Summary of the Integrated Impact Assessment 162 6.1 Plutonium 60 B Summary of Expected Expenditure 6.2 Uranium 63 and Income 164 Case Study: Export of High Enriched Uranium in Support of Medical Isotope Production 65 Glossary 165 7.0 Integrated Waste Management 68 Abbreviations 168 7.1 Radioactive Waste 72 Case Study: Thermal Treatment 79 Case Study: Packaging 79 The Vision: The Disposal Capacity Needed to Complete the Mission 80 Key 7.2 Liquid and Gaseous Discharges 82 7.3 Non-Radioactive Waste 84 Glossary terms appear in italics (SOxx) refer to the Strategic Outcomes as reported 8.0 Critical Enablers 86 in the Mission Progress Report 8.1 Health, Safety, Environment and Wellbeing 89 Case Study: Mental Health and Wellbeing 92 8.2 Sustainability 93 8.3 Security and Resilience 96 8.4 Cyber Security 98 Case Study: Exercise Purple Lumi 100 8.5 Research, Development and Innovation 101 Case Study: Innovation 104 The Vision: Encouraging Innovation 105 8.6 People 106 Case Study: Nucleargraduates 109 NDA Strategy 5 Our Estate 17 nuclear sites across the UK 1,046 hectares of designated land on nuclear licensed sites 15,000 employees across the estate 800+ buildings to be demolished 6 Preface In 2005, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) was established as a Non-Departmental Public Body under the Energy Act (2004) (ref 1). Our purpose is to clean up the UK’s earliest that evolution and improvement and since the nuclear sites safely, securely and cost effectively. publication of our last Strategy in 2016 (ref 3), Doing this with care for our people, communities we have advanced our thinking in some and the environment is at the heart of our work. important areas including site decommissioning Our strategy is founded on our commitment to and remediation and integrated waste overcoming the challenges of nuclear clean-up management. In this Strategy, we present the and decommissioning, leaving our sites safe and challenges, our proposed direction over the next ready for their next use. strategy period and the actions we are planning to progress our mission. We work with UK government and the devolved administrations to ensure their policies are Implementation of this Strategy is dependent reflected in our strategy and implemented at upon continual assessment of affordability our sites. Our sponsoring department is the and value for money as well as business case Department for Business and Industrial Strategy approvals at the time of implementation. Delivery (BEIS), with additional obligations to Scottish of the Strategy will benefit from a simpler NDA ministers for matters affecting Scotland. group operating model, founded on alignment and collaboration, and focus on value for money. Our clean-up mission covers 17 sites, 14 We recognise that, in the short to medium-term, in England and Wales as designated by the the COVID-19 pandemic will put significant Secretary of State for BEIS and 3 in Scotland pressure on public sector finances which may also designated jointly by the Scottish ministers. impact on our future funding settlements and We have a range of supplementary functions consequentially mean we need to review our including supply chain development, research strategic and delivery priorities. and development, skills, socio-economic support for local communities, and stakeholder Social responsibility is important to us and engagement. We are also responsible for is fundamental to our strategy. We can only implementing both geological disposal and the succeed by working collaboratively with our site UK nuclear industry’s Solid Low Level Waste communities, regulators and other stakeholders Strategy (ref 2) and we perform certain advisory including UK government and the devolved functions for the Secretary of State. administrations. We seek to involve our stakeholders in open dialogue and recognise The Energy Act (2004) (ref 1) requires us to their views as an important part of our strategic review and publish our Strategy every 5 years considerations. but we continually develop our strategy to reflect our latest understanding enabling us to make progress in the most appropriate way. This Strategy, our fourth iteration, continues NDA Strategy 7 How we communicate our strategy and report progress ENGAGE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS REPORT PROGRESS NDA Strategy Mission Progress Report Last Published: March 2021 Last Published: July 2019 12 week public consultation Provides our stakeholders with a clear and concise Describes how we will deliver our mission, story of NDA mission progress since 2005, that ensuring that the UK’s nuclear legacy sites are demonstrates delivery of our strategic themes and decommissioned and cleaned up safely, securely, outcomes as explained in our Strategy. cost-effectively and in ways that protect people and Covers 100+ years. the environment. Published every 5 years. Energy Act requirement. Covers 100+ years. Published every 5 years. NDA Mid-Year Performance Report Last Published: February 2021 Provides a progress update against Business Plan activities and incorporates the NDA group targets. Published every year. NDA Business Plan Last Published: April 2020 8 week public consultation Describes key activities across the group over the next 3 years that align to our strategic outcomes and details the funding available for the next year. Energy Act requirement. Covers 3 years. Published every year. NDA Annual Report and Accounts Last Published: July 2020 Describes achievements and spending. Reports against Business Plan activities and contains an overall progress update against our mission. Energy Act requirement. Covers 1 year. Published every year. 8 1.0 Introduction Our mission is to deliver safe, secure, sustainable and publicly acceptable solutions to the challenge of nuclear clean-up and waste management. 1.1 Background The UK nuclear industry has evolved since the Services (Social Value) Act 2012 (ref 6) and the Second World War, responding to UK government Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Note PPN 06/20 policy requirements related to civil nuclear energy (ref 7) which require us to evaluate positive social, and defence. This has resulted in a legacy of sites economic and environmental impacts i.e. achieving and facilities as well as a number of operational social value through our procurement activities. nuclear power and fuel cycle plants. In our previous Strategies (ref 3,4,5) we signalled The Energy Act (2004) (ref 1) created the NDA to significant changes to our strategic approach and take responsibility for decommissioning the legacy some of these changes have already transformed sites that make up our estate, which contain many delivery across the group and some will do so in the unique and difficult nuclear decommissioning future. Specifically, in our 2016 Strategy (ref 3), we: challenges. The risks and hazards the NDA • reiterated our relentless focus on reducing manages are amongst the most challenging risk and hazard across the NDA estate.
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