CoRWM : takes no position on new nuclear power stations
CoRWM is neither for nor against building new nuclear power stations.
CoRWM : position on new build waste
Our position on wastes from new nuclear power stations (“new build wastes”) is here 2010 CoRWM Statement of its Position on New Build Wastes(doc. 2749).
We re-examined our position statement in 2011-12 and decided not to update it or revise it (doc. 3036). We consider that new build wastes should now simply be regarded as part of the inventory of wastes that will have to be managed in due course. Our scrutiny and advice role relates to the whole of this inventory.
Responses to Government consultations
In March 2010 we responded to the Government consultation on its draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for Energy Infrastructure (
doc. 2748). Our principal comments were about whether we agreed with the Government’s conclusion that “effective arrangements exist or will exist” to manage and dispose of new build wastes. We considered that, while some of the arrangements exist, others do not, and that Government must judge whether they will exist by the time they are needed.
When Government consulted on a revised draft NPS we wrote to it about some waste management issues that arose from its response to the first consultation. Our main point was that there is a need for a holistic optimisation of all the steps in the management of new build spent fuel, from arising through to, and including, geological disposal (
doc. 2878).
Other CoRWM work on new build wastes
We follow developments relevant to the management of new build wastes and publish papers summarising the information we obtain (docs.
2890 &
2996). We also meet the regulators who are dealing with new nuclear power stations.
We have encouraged the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA’s) Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) to take full account of the possible quantities and characteristics of new build spent fuel in its work on the implementation of geological disposal (doc.
2994). This includes design of a geological disposal facility (GDF) and development of a safety case for a GDF. We are pleased that RWMD has set up a GDF Users Group (
NDA website) that includes prospective operators of new nuclear power stations. We attend meetings of this group as an observer.