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Science & Technology Committee: Written Evidence Risk Perception Science & Technology Committee: Written evidence Risk perception and energy infrastructure This volume contains the written evidence accepted by the Science & Technology Committee for the Risk perception and energy infrastructure inquiry. No. Author No. Author 00 Department of Energy & Climate Change 01 PCAH (Parents Concerned About Hinkley) 02 National Physical Laboratory 03 Royal Society of Chemistry 04 Professor Wade Allison 05 British Geological Survey 06 Mr Fred Dawson 07 Martin J Goodfellow and Adisa Azapagic 08 Professor Tom Horlick-Jones 09 Royal Statistical Society 10 Georges Mercadal 11 Nuclear Industry Association 12 EDF Energy 13 The Society for Radiological Protection 14 Applied Policy Sciences Unit, University of Central Lancashire 15 Sedgemoor District Council 16 The Geological Society of London 17 Sense about Science 18 Greenpeace 19 Energy Networks Association 20 Engineering the Future 21 Professor Nick Pidgeon, Cardiff University 22 Charlotte Newall As at 18 January 2012 Written evidence submitted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Risk 00) RISK PERCEPTION AND ENERGY/NUCLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE This submission has been prepared for the Committee’s inquiry into risk assessment, communication, perception and tolerability in relation to energy infrastructure, focusing on nuclear power by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Introduction 1. The Government has committed to delivering a low carbon and affordable energy mix of renewables, new nuclear and clean gas and coal which will provide continuous low carbon generation and reduce the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel imports. In common with other countries, the UK faces two great risks: the prospect of dangerous climate change which will have unprecedented impacts on global security and prosperity, and challenges to energy security as our current generation of power stations closes and ensuring supplies of energy which are resilient to volatile fossil fuel prices. 2. DECC’s ultimate goal is to deliver clean energy for the future and tackle dangerous climate change. In line with the priorities set out in the National Security Strategy we identify and assess risks to energy assets and networks including from terrorism, cyber attack, international military crises, and natural hazards and major accidents. Working in partnership with industry and regulators we take action to reduce vulnerabilities, and put in place plans and arrangements to respond and recover in the event of infrastructure failure. 3. We believe that nuclear power stations have a vital part in our energy strategy to help ensure a diverse mix of technology and fuel sources, increasing the resilience of the UK’s energy system. Nuclear power is a proven technology able to provide continuous low carbon generation and is forecast to be the lowest cost form of low carbon generation. These potential benefits mean that new nuclear power stations have an important role to play in the UK’s energy future. 4. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has a key role to play in several aspects of the UK’s civil nuclear activities. Through the establishment of nuclear regulatory bodies covering safety, security, transport and environmental protection, the Government has set in place the organisations essential to ensure the nuclear industry in the UK is appropriately regulated in compliance with European and international 1 1 requirements. The regulatory regime applies to current nuclear installations and will apply to any future installations. 5. To further enhance this regime the Government has created the Office for Nuclear Regulation, which will combine the safety, security and transport aspects of regulation for the nuclear industry. DECC, through the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, is responsible for the decommissioning, clean-up, waste management and eventual disposal of the civil nuclear liabilities created during the public ownership of the nuclear industry. To facilitate new nuclear build in the UK the Government has taken a number of actions: developing the National Policy Statement on sites for new nuclear power stations; Regulatory Justification; Waste and Decommissioning finance arrangements; and Generic Design Assessment of proposed reactor systems. 6. The unprecedented events at Fukushima Dai-ichi in Japan focussed global attention on nuclear power, specifically in relation to its safety and security. Safety is and will continue to be our number one priority, both in relation to existing facilities and potential future plants. Some countries such as Germany, Italy and Switzerland have decided to phase out nuclear power. Alongside other countries such as France, Finland, China and the US, the UK Government has decided to continue with our policy that nuclear has a role in the energy mix now and will continue to do so in the future. 7. Recent polls, including a populus survey conducted in August this year show that support for nuclear power in Britain has risen over the past year, despite the events at Fukushima. A recent Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) YouGov poll (November 2011) has also shown that 77% (risen from 68% in the summer) of those polled agree that “Britain needs a mix of energy sources to ensure a reliable supply of electricity, including nuclear power and renewable”1. 8. Our response to the Committee focuses on DECC’s role in communicating nuclear policy, which includes new nuclear, safety and security, non- proliferation, emergency planning, managing radioactive waste and touches on the themes of the inquiry rather than addressing the specific questions point by point. Government’s role in communicating nuclear policy 9. The role for Government is to communicate the role of nuclear in the UK as an essential part of the energy mix, and the benefits that it brings. In particular: that it is a safe and reliable low carbon technology which will help to mitigate the impacts of climate change, help to meet our ambition to be less 1 NIA press release: http://www.niauk.org/NIA-Press-Releases/Industry-poll-shows-continuing- support-for-nuclear.html 2 2 dependent on imported fossil fuels, and help in providing UK consumers with cost-effective electricity. 10. DECC primarily communicates this through its policy statements and consultations, whether that is on the energy mix and nuclear’s role, or specific nuclear policy such as the Nuclear National Policy Statement or policies on waste and decommissioning. More on this is in the section below. 11. It would be unrealistic to aim for consensus, but we believe it is important that our policy towards nuclear should win widespread understanding, confidence and respect. We aim to do this by: a. Communicating regularly and effectively with all our audiences through a variety of channels to reinforce messages on the role of nuclear in the energy mix, Government’s commitment to new nuclear, and safety of nuclear power stations. These communications are based on factual and scientific evidence, accessible and understandable to the public and communicated by Ministers and officials; b. Ensuring that information on the work of the Office for Nuclear Development is accessible and transparent on the DECC website to help encourage understanding and trust in the Government’s policy on nuclear; c. Ensuring we understand and address the needs and concerns of our stakeholders and target audiences through clear fact based messages. 12. There is an onus on the nuclear industry to build a reputation that instils trust and confidence and provides reassurance on the safety of the nuclear industry, particularly post-Fukushima. However there is a clear role for Government to ensure that the regulatory regime is fit for purpose and to engage with local communities and the public to communicate that nuclear is a reliable and safe form of energy. 13. In the case of Fukushima, it was important that we established the facts before making any decisions on policy. In this regard, the Secretary of State asked that the Chief Nuclear Inspector Dr. Mike Weightman report on the lessons learned from Fukushima and the implications for the nuclear industry and new nuclear. This was an independent report. 14. In light of this, we have re-emphasised the importance of the safety of nuclear power and the ongoing need for nuclear as part of the energy mix. Separately, Dr. Mike Weightman has presented his reports to media, key stakeholders and the public and the Secretary of State has placed these reports with Parliament. Specific Nuclear Policy 3 3 15. The Government has conducted a number of public consultations which have provided clear facts and evidence-based information on nuclear power to raise awareness of nuclear, both the benefits and the risks. In particular the last administration conducted an extensive consultation in 2007 which led to the Government’s decision in the 2008 Nuclear Power White Paper that nuclear should be part of the energy mix. Government is taking facilitative actions to enable the marketplace to come forward with nuclear energy that will help provide long-term energy security. 16. The policy of these facilitative actions and nuclear policy is communicated through a variety of mechanisms as set out below. Regulatory Justification 17. The EU Basic Safety Standards Directive requires member states to justify new radioactive practices, that is, to assess whether their benefits outweigh the health detriment they may cause. Justifying two reactor designs, the AP1000 and EPR, was one of the facilitative actions necessary to allow new nuclear power stations to be built in the UK. The Government held three public consultations which respectively covered: the process; the application for each of these designs, submitted by industry; and the Secretary of State’s proposed decisions. The application and the decision documents addressed in detail the issues around the impact of radiation on health, the operation of the regulatory regime intended to keep radiation doses received by people below certain levels, and the Secretary of State’s reasons for concluding that the regulatory regime did this effectively.
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