Sellafield is a highly complex and hazardous nuclear site managing more radioactive waste than any other nuclear facility in the world.
Many of the facilities on the site are ageing, and new facilities that meet modern safety standards are required, as the site’s mission changes from reprocessing to decommissioning. Reducing the hazard and risk on the Sellafield site safely and securely is both a national priority and one of our top regulatory priorities.
Our regulation of Sellafield covers two well defined areas:
Retrievals and Remediation
Focuses on the highest hazard facilities on the site, concentrating efforts on those facilities and processes requiring the greatest improvement, with a view to accelerating overall hazard and risk reduction. Some of the ways we do this, include:
- Completing a regular programme of inspections to monitor compliance with the law taking proportionate action when shortfalls are identified to restore legal compliance;
- Influencing Sellafield Ltd in delivering safe, secure, effective and timely plans to achieve hazard and risk reduction on site;
- Working constructively with Sellafield Ltd to make regulatory expectations clear whilst maintaining appropriate regulatory independence and oversight;
- Assessing and granting permission to implement safety cases that support hazard and risk reduction on the site; and
- Working constructively with other stakeholders as part of the ‘G6’ stakeholder group to accelerate hazard and risk reduction at the site.
Sellafield Operations
Regulates all other activities on the site to ensure that Sellafield Ltd maintains adequate levels of overall site safety whilst hazard and risk reduction work is underway at a number of key facilities. Some of the ways we do this, include:
- Completing a regular programme of inspections to monitor compliance with the law taking proportionate action when shortfalls are identified to restore legal compliance;
- Influencing Sellafield Ltd in delivering safe, secure, effective and timely plans to achieve hazard and risk reduction on site;
- Working constructively with Sellafield Ltd to make regulatory expectations clear whilst maintaining appropriate regulatory independence and oversight;
- Assessing and granting permission to implement safety cases that support hazard and risk reduction on the site; and
- Working constructively with other stakeholders as part of the ‘G6’ stakeholder group to accelerate hazard and risk reduction at the site.
