The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is a non-departmental public body created through the Energy Act 2004. We are a strategic authority that owns 19 sites and the associated civil nuclear liabilities and assets of the public sector, previously under the control of UKAEA and BNFL.

We are responsible for

• decommissioning and cleaning up these civil nuclear facilities
• ensuring that all the waste products, both radioactive and non-radioactive, are safely managed
• implementing Government policy on the long-term management of nuclear waste
• developing UK-wide nuclear Low Level Waste (LLW) strategy and plans
• scrutinising decommissioning plans of of the eight existing nuclear power stations of EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Group Limited
• advising Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on the quality of operator's decommissioning plans and associated cost estimates for new nuclear power stations under HMG's Funded Decommissioning Programme arrangements

Our purpose is to deliver the decommissioning and clean-up of the UK's civil nuclear legacy in a safe and cost-effective manner, and where possible to accelerate programmes of work that reduce hazard. We aim to do this by introducing innovation and contractor expertise through a series of competitions.

We report to the DECC; for some aspects of our functions in Scotland we are responsible to Scottish Ministers. 
 

How We Operate

Our top priorities in delivering our mission are safety, security, environmental responsibility and providing value for taxpayers' money.

We do not directly manage the facilities that we own. Instead we contract out the delivery of site programmes through management and operation contracts with licensed operators, Site Licence Companies (SLCs), at each site.

SLCs manage sites, including preparing site plans, performing and sub-contracting work. Parent Body Organisations (PBOs) own shares in SLCs for the duration of their contract with the NDA. The PBO is responsible for managing the delivery of site programmes. We periodically compete the contracts with PBOs.

Our Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) will be responsible for the delivery of the geological disposal facility. In due course its ownership may be opened up to competition in line with other NDA sites. Further dialogue with Government, the regulators and the supply chain will be required before the step is taken to determine whether this is the appropriate implementation approach.

• More information on competitions
• More information on sites
• More information on geological disposal

Our Budget

The Department for Energy and Climate Change and HM Treasury set our annual operational budget. Our budget is a combination of Government funding and income from our commercial assets.

For 2013/14 the annual budget was agreed at £3.2 billion comprised of:

• £2.3 billion Government grant-in-aid; and
• £0.9 billion project income.

The NDA's annual expenditure for 2013/14 is expected to be:

• £3 billion on our site programme; and
• £0.2 billion on non-site activities, including:
• • skills development;
  • socio-economic;
  • research and development;
  • insurance; 
  • pension costs;
  • fees to SLCs;
  • implementing geological disposal; and
  • NDA operating costs.

Our planned total expenditure for 2013/14 is £3.2 billion.

• More information on lifetime financials for each site

Electricity Generation

The NDA is the owner of generating assets which are operated by Magnox Ltd and Sellafield Ltd.  In accordance with the requirements of EU Regulation No 1227/2011 on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (REMIT), information on the NDA's power stations can be found by following these links:

• Magnox Ltd - Electricity Generation
• Sellafield Ltd - Electricity Generation

Our Location

In addition to our headquarters at Herdus House in West Cumbria, we have a network of offices across the UK. These offices work with Site Licence Companies (SLCs) and are located in:

• Harwell;
• Warrington;
• Sellafield; and
• Thurso.

A small London office provides a central location for direct liaison with Government officials.

• More information on our people