20 March 2008
Magnox Operating Programme (MOP8) Published
In conjunction with Magnox South, Magnox North and Sellafield Ltd, the NDA has published the eighth update of The Magnox Operating Programme (MOP).
06 March 2008
Market Engagement Announcement
In recognition of current market interest from the new nuclear generation programme, the NDA is starting a process to gauge the interest of parties wishing to use NDA assets.
11 January 2008
NDA Response to Government Statement on New Build
The Government’s announcement on a new programme of nuclear power stations raises some important questions for the NDA.
Performance Updates
Find out more about NDA Sites' Performance, visit our Programme Performance Updates section.
The NDA has responsibility for a number of commercial facilities which provide some 50% of our budget. The revenue from these facilities will be maximised while maintaining the delivery of our core mission.
This income rose in 2006/7 with continued high electricity prices. However, it will decline sharply over the next few years as Magnox generation comes to an end.
This will place an increasing reliance on public funding.
The future of THORP and SMP will be determined by the Government.
The Springfields site is unique and offers the NDA potentially greater commercial opportunities.
| Key Issues | NDA's Proposed Approach | |
| Commercial Operations | The future of THORP and SMP How best to maximise income from the operational facilities to offset the cost of decommissioning and clean-up Deciding on which new commercial business opportunities to pursue Considering which assets and operations should to be divested The implications of a sale of British Nuclear Group | We expect our contractors to remain customer focused. We intend to run operational facilities efficiently and effectively until they close, with the aim of maximising revenue. All contract extensions or new business will be evaluated against strict criteria agreed with the Government. We propose to discuss with the Government which non-core assets and operations could be divested. |
| THORP | THORP reprocesses spent fuel for UK and overseas customers The AGR fuel contracts in place with British Energy (BE) cover the reprocessing of a proportion of the spent fuel and storage of the remainder until long-term management solutions are established following the outcome of the CoRWM process. | We expect to restart THORP subject to government approval from the NII and NDA Board. We will commission work to examine the options for the interim storage of spent AGR fuel, pending the availability of long term management arrangements. |
| Sellafield MOX Plant (SMP) | The future commercial viability of SMP SMP depends on the success of the commissioning programme and whether it can be made to operate effectively and efficiently to meet existing and potential future customers’ requirements. | We intend to continue to take a close interest in the commissioning of SMP and to monitor its performance. If SMP is unable to meet its production targets we will discuss its future with the Government.
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| Springfields | How best to utilise Springfields site assets when Magnox fuel production is complete in 2007 | We propose to consider options for the future management of the Springfields site, which we will discuss with the Government. |
| Possible Sale of British Nuclear Group | We propose to explore with BNFL/British Nuclear Group and the Government whether any of the smaller British Nuclear Group businesses (e.g. ESTL, PNTL, and Fellside) have a strategic value that suggest they should be excluded from any possible sale of British Nuclear Group. |