Published: 02 July 2009
New Regulator for Civil Nuclear Energy Sector
A single, easily identifiable, body for regulating the civil nuclear energy sector has been proposed for consultation by the Government.
The new body would combine responsibility for overseeing safety, security and transport of civil nuclear sites and material.
Legislation is required to create the new body as a legal entity to give it statutory functions & powers, and will take the form of a Legislative Reform Order.
Speaking at a nuclear supply chain conference, Energy and Climate Change Minister Lord Hunt said:
“The UK’s nuclear regulators are renowned for their technical excellence and effectiveness.
This is intended to build on that strength with a modern organisation that is empowered to meet the challenges of changing requirements due to the UK’s new nuclear programme, ageing nuclear power reactors, and the decommissioning of legacy nuclear plants.”
Lord McKenzie, DWP Minister with responsibility for health and safety, said:
“The restructuring is designed to help deal with a wide range of complex challenges arising from the rapidly changing requirements of the nuclear industry.
We are seeking to create a new sector-specific regulator that will meet these challenges and will now be conducting a full consultation with the nuclear industry, the public and other stakeholders to gather their views and take these proposals forward.”
The new, sector specific, independent regulator would:
· Build on existing strengths whilst enhancing the transparency and accountability of nuclear regulation
· Combine the regulatory responsibilities of HSE’s Nuclear Directorate with those of the Department of Transport for the safe and secure transport of radioactive material
· Be a Statutory Corporation with greater organisational and financial freedom and with a Chief Inspector as the regulatory head
· Report to Ministers with regard to regulatory functions and to Ministers and HSE on strategy and business planning
The Government has already transferred the operations of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security and the UK Safeguards Office to the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate in 2007, and by naming the new body in legislation as responsible for these functions, the proposals would be used to consolidate the earlier reform.
The proposals will not change the requirements & standards with which duty holders must comply.
The consultation closes on 22 September 2009.
Further information
Consultation on the ‘Restructuring of the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate’
Safety Executive’s Nuclear Directorate
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