Abstract

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority was set up in 2005 to take responsibility for the clean-up the of UK’s historic nuclear legacy. The Authority is responsible for the clean-up of 19 nuclear sites including all the UK’s Magnox reactors, the reactor and civil nuclear research sites at Dounreay, Harwell and Winfrith, the low level waste repository in West Cumbria and the Sellafield production facility. Activities include the decommissioning and clean-up of some very challenging facilities, large quantities of more routine nuclear decommissioning and the ongoing operation of two reprocessing plants and the safe management of a range of nuclear materials. In addition NDA is responsible for implementing Deep Geological Disposal for higher activity wastes. NDA is funded by the UK taxpayer and value for money and affordability are key consideration in prioritising the work that is performed. Adrian Simper, NDA ’s Strategy and Technology Director, will provide an overview of the NDA and the reasons for its formation, describe how the NDA operates and provide some insight into some of the challenges it faces. He will describe how NDA develops its strategy and, importantly, how it seeks to maintain its social licence to operate through open and transparent stakeholder engagement. Finally he will describe some of the strategic challenges ahead and NDA ’s priorities for strategy development.