The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

The Energy and Climate Change Select Committee is scrutinising the Government's draft energy infrastructure National Policy Statements (NPS). The NPSs, published on 9th November 2010, will be the primary consideration for the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) when it makes decisions on applications for development consent on new power stations.

Those invited to give oral evidence include the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, the Nuclear Industries Association, energy developers and the NDA.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change is scheduled to give evidence on 10th February 2010. Among the members of the Committee are John Robertson MP, Chairman of the nuclear energy All Party Parliamentary Group and Charles Hendry MP, Shadow Energy Minister. In an earlier session the nuclear NPS had been the target of criticism from some non-governmental organisations.

Answering questions on radioactive waste last Wednesday, the NDA was represented by Executive Director Richard Waite and Repository Technical Director Bruce McKirdy. They discussed:

• effective arrangements for the management of radioactive waste from new nuclear stations
• evidence of progress towards development of a geological disposal facility since the 2008 White Paper
• timeframe for the disposal facility
• issues surrounding the storage of waste on site for up to 160 years in the face of climate change and sea level rises
• whether the NPS should exclude the management of waste from the consideration of the IPC

 NDA written submission on the draft nuclear national policy statement January 2010(250Kb)

When the Committee has collected the evidence needed, it will publish a report for the consideration of the Government. The NDA has also submitted written evidence. A recording of the session can be watched on:

Click here for Parliament Live website and option to view HoC Energy and Climate Change Committee Meeting on Proposal for National Policy Statements on Energy