Nuclear Decommissioning Authority : managing risk at Sellafield, twenty-fourth report of session 2012-13, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (the Authority) was set up in 2005 with the specific remit to tackle the UK's nuclear legacy.

Sellafield is run for the Authority by Sellafield Limited.

In November 2008, the Authority contracted with an international consortium-Nuclear Management Partners Limited-to improve Sellafield Limited's management of the site, including the development of an improved lifetime plan.

Over several decades, successive governments have been guilty of failing to tackle issues on the site.

Deadlines for cleaning up Sellafield have been missed, while total lifetime costs for decommissioning the site continue to rise each year and now stand at GBP67.5 billion.

The Authority believes it now has a credible plan for decommissioning Sellafield and expects Sellafield Limited to start retrieving hazardous waste currently held in legacy facilities in 2015.

Nonetheless, given the track record on the site and given that only 2 of the 14 major projects were being delivered on or ahead of schedule in 2011-12, the Committee is not yet convinced that this date will be met or that sufficient progress is being made. Basic project management failings continue to cause delays and increase costs, while doubts remain over the robustness of the plan, in particular whether the Authority is progressing the development of the geological disposal facility as quickly as possible.

Nor is the Committee convinced that taxpayers are getting a good deal from the Authority's arrangement with Nuclear Management Partners. And taxpayers currently bear the financial risks of delays and cost increases.