British Nuclear Group
Encyclopedia
Sellafield Ltd is a nuclear decommissioning Site Licence Company (SLC) controlled by Nuclear Management Partners Ltd, its designated Parent Body Organisation (PBO). It operates under contract for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
(NDA), a government body set up specifically to deal with the nuclear legacy under the Energy Act 2004
.
Sellafield Ltd's main aim is to manage the decommissioning of the Sellafield
facility on behalf of the NDA. The body employs more than 13,000 workers and its focus is to deliver accelerated nuclear decommissioning and clean-up programmes. It is also involved in power operations, fuel production and reprocessing, international decommissioning, and international transportation.
. BNG was created from a reorganisation of BNFL in 2005, bringing together all of BNFL's businesses into one unit, with the exception of Nexia Solutions and Westinghouse Electric Company
. It was BNFL's initial intention in 2006 to sell BNG whole as one business, however it was later decided to break up BNG and sell each asset individually, to maximise revenue.
BNG's US subsidiary, BNG America, its Magnox
reactor business, Reactor Sites Management Company, its consultancy business, BNG Project Services and its one third share in Atomic Weapons Establishment
management company, AWE Management Ltd were all sold. The remaining business of BNG was responsible for the decommissioning work at Sellafield
. This was renamed Sellafield Ltd and ownership was passed to the NDA.
In 2008 the NDA contracted the management of Sellafield Ltd to Nuclear Management Partners Ltd, a consortium of US company URS, British company AMEC
, and Areva
of France. The initial contract was for five years, with an extension option for 17 years.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom formed by the Energy Act 2004. It came into existence in late 2004, and took on its main functions on 1 April 2005...
(NDA), a government body set up specifically to deal with the nuclear legacy under the Energy Act 2004
Energy Act 2004
The Energy Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Section 198 - Short title, commencement and extent:The following orders have been made under this section:* *...
.
Sellafield Ltd's main aim is to manage the decommissioning of the Sellafield
Sellafield
Sellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
facility on behalf of the NDA. The body employs more than 13,000 workers and its focus is to deliver accelerated nuclear decommissioning and clean-up programmes. It is also involved in power operations, fuel production and reprocessing, international decommissioning, and international transportation.
History
Sellafield Ltd was formed out of the remains of British Nuclear Group (BNG), a subsidiary of BNFLBNFL
British Nuclear Fuels Limited was a nuclear energy and fuels company owned by the UK Government. It was a former manufacturer and transporter of nuclear fuel , ran reactors, generated and sold electricity, reprocessed and managed spent fuel , and decommissioned nuclear plants and other similar...
. BNG was created from a reorganisation of BNFL in 2005, bringing together all of BNFL's businesses into one unit, with the exception of Nexia Solutions and Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company
Westinghouse Electric Company LLC is a nuclear power company, offering a wide range of nuclear products and services to utilities throughout the world, including nuclear fuel, service and maintenance, instrumentation and control and advanced nuclear plant designs...
. It was BNFL's initial intention in 2006 to sell BNG whole as one business, however it was later decided to break up BNG and sell each asset individually, to maximise revenue.
BNG's US subsidiary, BNG America, its Magnox
Magnox
Magnox is a now obsolete type of nuclear power reactor which was designed and is still in use in the United Kingdom, and was exported to other countries, both as a power plant, and, when operated accordingly, as a producer of plutonium for nuclear weapons...
reactor business, Reactor Sites Management Company, its consultancy business, BNG Project Services and its one third share in Atomic Weapons Establishment
Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
management company, AWE Management Ltd were all sold. The remaining business of BNG was responsible for the decommissioning work at Sellafield
Sellafield
Sellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
. This was renamed Sellafield Ltd and ownership was passed to the NDA.
In 2008 the NDA contracted the management of Sellafield Ltd to Nuclear Management Partners Ltd, a consortium of US company URS, British company AMEC
AMEC
AMEC plc is a global consultancy, engineering and project management company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is focused on the oil and gas, minerals and metals, renewable energy, environment and infrastructure sectors and has offices in 40 countries worldwide...
, and Areva
Areva
AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
of France. The initial contract was for five years, with an extension option for 17 years.
External links
- Sellafield Ltd - official website
- British Nuclear Group - details of site locations
- Fluor bids for British nuclear firm
- Government unveils plans for BNG to be broken up and sold, The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 25 October 2006 - Mapping out the UK's nuclear future, by Jorn Madslien, BBC News
- Sellafield awaits nuclear power's rebirth, by Jorn Madslien, BBC News
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4818370.stm, by Jorn Madslien, BBC News
- The sale of Britain's nuclear giant, by Jorn Madslien, BBC News