WIREDGOV

Nominations open for new nuclear site assessment

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE News Release (2009/009) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 27 January 2009

One year on from White Paper: New nuclear is on track

The nuclear industry has two months from today to nominate sites for the first wave of new nuclear power stations in the UK, the Government announced today. The call for nominations came alongside publication of the criteria against which potential sites will be assessed.

The criteria include conditions that new sites should not be near major population centres or certain types of military activity. The industry has indicated that the most suitable sites for new build are in the vicinity of existing nuclear power stations.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband told the Nuclear Development Forum today:

"We've taken some big steps towards next generation nuclear in the year since the publication of our White Paper, the industry continues to gear up to invest and we are on course to see new nuclear feeding into the grid by 2018. EdF has firm plans for new reactors on British Energy land, and other companies have started to form joint ventures.

"We'll be judging each site that gets nominated against the criteria we have set out today and there will be plenty of opportunities for local authorities and the public to have their say on the options tabled.

"Nuclear power can improve energy security and help the drive towards low carbon energy supplies. Alongside renewables and cleaner fossil fuels, it will help us meet our climate change goals as well as ensuring the future supply of energy for the UK."

The criteria are published as part of the response to last year's Strategic Siting Assessment (SSA) consultation at a meeting of the Nuclear Development Forum (NDF) one year on from the publication of the Nuclear Energy White Paper. The NDF brings together senior representatives from the nuclear industry including vendors, operators, key suppliers, contractors and unions involved in the industry, and Government. It meets three times a year and aims to support and advise the Government's OND (Office for Nuclear Development) in its role to develop and maintain the UK as one of the best markets in the world for companies to invest in nuclear power.

Site nominations must be received by 31 March 2009. The list of nominated sites will be published shortly after and there will be an initial month-long opportunity for the public to express their views on how the sites match up to the criteria. The Government will then assess each site to decide if it meets a number of criteria. Sites assessed to be 'strategically suitable' will be listed on the draft Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS), which will be open for consultation during which communities and Parliament can have their say on the draft list of sites. From 2010, developers may apply to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) for planning permission for those sites which are found to be strategically suitable in the Nuclear NPS. Before a developer applies for permission it has to consult affected Local Authorities and local communities. Communities can also submit written evidence to the IPC on the application and may also be able to speak at particular hearings on a proposal.

Notes to editors:

1. The full SSA consultation response can be found at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/energy/sources/nuclear/consultations/closed-response/page47749.html

2. The leaflet "New nuclear power stations: how sites will be chosen and how you can have your say" can be found at: http://www.nuclearpowersiting.decc.gov.uk

3. Other documents published today at the NDF:

* A summary of achievements since the Nuclear White Paper - These include the launch of the Office for Nuclear Development and the Nuclear Development Forum, the nuclear elements of the Energy and Planning Acts, the Strategic Siting Assessment consultation and the consultation on the NIA's Justification application, completion by the regulators of the initial assessment of the Generic Design Assessment and made progress in implementing the recommendations on nuclear regulation as set out in Tim Stone's review.

* Nuclear Regulatory Review: Summary Recommendations and Government Response
Summary Recommendations arising out of the review of the Nuclear Regulatory Regime, containing Dr Tim Stone's short and medium-term recommendations for ensuring that the NII can deal with the challenges of new nuclear power stations as well as its existing responsibilities.

* Skills Map -There are a number of programmes being taken forward in the UK to help meet the future demand for skilled workers to meet the needs of new nuclear build, decommissioning, and existing operations. These programmes are being undertaken by a wide range of organisations so we have undertaken a project to 'map' the UK nuclear skills landscape to enable the Office for Nuclear Development (OND) to understand better what organisations are active in the nuclear skills agenda, and how they interact together.

* Integrated programme plan - an indicative timeline setting out the key deliverables required to deliver the nuclear new build programme. This sets out at a strategic level how the key parts of the new nuclear programme fit together, including activity being led by DECC, the regulators, National Grid and others.

* Consultations Map - in response to feedback from several of our key stakeholders, this document is designed to make it easier for the public to understand how they can "have their say" in the new nuclear programme. It explains in simple terms what the key forthcoming consultations and other public facing exercises relevant to new nuclear will be, when they will happen, and how they feed into the wider programme.

Department of Energy and Climate Change
7th Floor, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 9HH
Public enquiries +44 (0)300 060 4000
Textphone +44 (0)20 7215 6740 (for those with hearing impairment)
http://www.decc.gov.uk