The U.K. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s estimate for overall lifetime costs for its cleanup work has increased about £6 billion, or about $9.2 billion, from last year’s figures in the NDA’s Annual Report and Accounts released yesterday. The cost for the NDA’s nuclear provision, which includes total costs until cleanup is wrapped up in 2137, now stands at £58.9 billion, compared to £52.9 billion in last year’s estimate and £49.2 billion in the previous estimate. The report notes that the figure, which includes total costs until cleanup is wrapped up in 2137, has a high degree of uncertainty. “When looking at the overall costs of the clean-up programme over the next 120 years or so, we see a continuation of recent trends whereby life time costs are reducing in all parts of our estate with the exception of Sellafield, where some significant uncertainties remain,” NDA Chief Executive John Clarke said in a statement. “The net result is that the undiscounted figure for the long term clean-up programme is relatively stable.”
The new estimate comes as the NDA has received increased scrutiny in recent months over cost increases and other issues at the Sellafield site. Clarke said, “Sellafield remains our top priority. It is the world’s most complex nuclear site with unprecedented challenges. Against this background, performance in the year has been mixed with some notable milestones achieved on legacy ponds and silos balanced by some disappointing project cost increases and schedule slippages together with operational performance impacted by unreliable plant.” The report states that the ongoing procurement for work at its Magnox sites has a goal of producing efficiencies. “We are also part-way through the last major competition, award of the £7bn contract for the 12 sites operated by Magnox Ltd and RSRL Ltd, and are pleased to see a healthy level of interest from four high-calibre consortia,” Clarke said.
