Keeping open and transparent dialogue going with a wide range of external stakeholders is a key commitment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) strategy – and last week (April 7 & 8) those groups opposed to the industry got their chance to have their say.
The first ever NDA/Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) site visits took place in Cumbria, with the ambition of encouraging challenge, scrutiny and wider understanding of the NDA’s mission.
Members of the NGO Forum, including several organisations opposed to the nuclear industry, met with NDA, Sellafield Ltd and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), and also visited both the Sellafield site and the Low Level Waste Repository, where they were able to see first-hand some of the decommissioning work taking place and better understand how nuclear waste is safely managed, stored and disposed of.
Senior managers from NDA, Sellafield Ltd and NWS were on hand to answer questions from the NGOs and provide an overview of the work taking place.
The NDA/NGO Forum includes representatives from Nuclear-Free Local Authorities, who represent local authorities in the UK and Ireland opposed to nuclear power, and regional NGOs around the NDA’s sites, including the Ayrshire Radiation Monitoring Group, Highlands Against Nuclear Power, and Nuclear Waste Advisory Associates.
Across two-days of warm sunshine in Cumbria, the Forum meeting and site visits enabled discussion on a wide range of NDA activities.
The NDA updated the Forum on preparations for the next iteration of its decommissioning strategy and the recent government policy announcement on plutonium disposition. The NGOs focused on community partnerships, waste hierarchy, site end states and ongoing development on-site at Sellafield.
Paul Vallance, NDA Group Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and co-chair of the NDA/NGO Forum, said
As we celebrate the NDA’s 20th year, our commitment to openness and transparency is as important as ever.
Engaging with the communities and stakeholders around our sites on our mission, its complex challenges and how we’re addressing these underpins our licence to operate. We really value the scrutiny and collaborative atmosphere for discussion the forum brings. Hearing from stakeholders is hugely valuable, providing support and challenge in equal measure.
NDA/NGO Forum visit to low level waste repository
Rita Holmes, the co-chair of the Forum from the NGO side, said
The NDA is to be commended for its genuine commitment to openness and transparency. It has made such a difference, enabling local people to directly raise concerns and ask questions of the management, the NDA and the regulators about plans and progress at their local site. This was something that did not happen before the NDA came into being.
We were often ignored, fed unsubstantiated assurances or even misinformed. This engendered a lack of trust. The current ethos set by the NDA over the past 20 years, has set the bar high for other organisations and businesses wishing to liaise with our communities. Not all display such social responsibility.
Congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the NDA and a thank you to Sellafield and LLWR staff who answered all our questions and gave exceptionally interesting and informative presentations.
This is the first visit to NDA sites by members of the forum since it was created three years ago as part of the NDA’s commitment to allow greater inclusivity of viewpoints, and challenge and encourage wider scrutiny of its activities.
The NDA is tasked by the government with safely, securely and sustainably decommissioning the UK’s earliest nuclear sites and the management of radioactive waste.
The NDA/NGO forum was established to share insights and expertise on topics relating to the NDA’s mission and meets three times per year to discuss topics related to nuclear decommissioning.
In addition, NGOs continue to engage with the NWS/NGO Exchange established by NWS on waste management and geological disposal.
