Nuclear New Build Planning

1. The Energy Bill requires any operator of a new nuclear power station in the UK to have a Funded Decommissioning Programme, approved by the Secretary of State, in place before construction of a new nuclear power station can begin and for the operator to comply with this programme thereafter. Specific requirements in other new build countries are expected to be similar. The Funded Decommissioning Programme prepared by an aspiring operator of a new nuclear power station must include:
   1. Provision for the steps necessary to decommission the installation and manage the resulting wastes;
   2. An estimate of the costs associated with these steps;
   3. Details of any security to be provided in relation to those costs.

   Venns level of decommissioning planning and strategy experience is amongst the highest in the UK Nuclear Market, which makes us ideally placed to assist you in these activities.

2. Operational waste management requires specific treatment and storage strategies. We have extensive experience in developing waste management strategies, plans and inventories for nuclear plants. In particular we are working with clients to introduce radwaste management processes that are new to the UK; challenging the current “pack and bury” strategy for nuclear utilities waste.

3. The UK Environment Agency is heavily involved in the GDA process and are aiming for completion by 2011; potential operators need to target good, open and productive relations with the Agency. Venn environmental staff can assist in this relationship by providing support for:
   1. discharge permitry
   2. liability estimation
   3. site environmental baseline designs
   4. successive impact monitoring campaigns

   Venn have considerable experience of environmental conditions associated with most of the proposed new build sites in the UK. This is a particularly useful skill-set as the EA moves on to the next stage of its assessment programme; looking at site-specific criteria.