Nov 3 2008
According to the Nuclear Industry Association, the UK is recognized as one of the top ten global markets for nuclear decommissioning opportunities. The decommissioning and clean-up of the UK's civil nuclear legacy represents a massive managerial, technological and environmental challenge, providing major opportunities for North American companies interested in becoming actively engaged in overseas markets.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), a non-departmental public body established under the UK's Energy Act 2004, is responsible for the decommissioning and cleanup of 18 reactors. Currently, the UK has 23 reactors generating one fifth of its electricity. All but one of these reactors will be decommissioned by 2023. The NDA has ownership of the sites involved, but the operational work itself will be carried out by contractors. The NDA has established its headquarters in Cumbria, Northwest England.
It is estimated that the UK will spend in the region of $140 billion on this nuclear clean up initiative. The bulk of the expenditure, estimated at 60-65%, will be spent decommissioning the Sellafield site in Northwest England, the UK's largest nuclear site. These planned expenditures present significant opportunities for specialist companies from North America who have taken part in similar Department of Energy decommissioning projects and are now seeking to transfer this experience to new international markets.