Ministers spell out siting criteria for new nuclear stations
The Government has outlined the criteria it is considering using to determine the suitability of sites for new nuclear power stations.
Ministers are planning a combined Strategic Siting Assessment (SSA) and a full-scale Strategic Environmental Assessment which will consider the high-level environmental impacts of applying the SSA criteria.
These steps were highlighted at a Government-organised conference on nuclear new build. At the London meeting business secretary John Hutton said his department would invite nominations for potential sites "at the turn of the year".
He also promised "clear, fair and predictable planning processes". Hutton told prospective nuclear investors: "I know in the past the planning process has frustrated and not facilitated new nuclear investment in the UK. We can’t afford another repeat of the Sizewell B planning process that took six years. New nuclear simply won’t happen if investors believe that is the case."
The draft criteria include exclusionary ones that will mean that for safety, regulatory or environmental reasons the location would be categorically ruled out. Also set are discretionary criteria which could singly or in combination make a site unsuitable for a nuclear plant but which need to be considered to reach a conclusion on the site’s strategic suitability. These criteria will address issues such as flood risk, proximity to protected sites or access to suitable cooling water.
Ina separate but related development the Government has confirmed that it will be inviting communities for "no commitment" discussions on hosting an underground disposal facility for radioactive waste.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will be responsible for working up proposals for a facility and obtaining planning permission. Ministers have made it clear that such a multi-billion project is likely to involve its proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission and is unlikely to climb off the drawing board for a couple of decades.
The Government is considering whether a one-stage planning application process will be feasible. Such a site is likely to need a site of up to four square kilometres if it accommodates both medium and high-level radioactive waste, including the disposal of spent fuel.
Candidate sites will be assessed by the British Geological Survey before a final choice is made. Host communities could receive a package of benefits - worth hundreds of millions of pounds – in return for having the repository in their area.
Roger Milne
19 June 2008
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