Nuclear Restoration Services has formally submitted applications to regulators as it prepares to take responsibility for the Hunterston B site in Scotland next year.
It represents a significant step towards the site becoming the first in the UK’s fleet of Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactors (AGR) to transfer to NRS for decommissioning. This follows an agreement announced by the UK Government in 2021 that will see the sites transfer to NRS, part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group, from EDF after they have ceased generating and been defueled. The NDA will take ownership of the site and NRS will manage the long-term decommissioning programme.
NRS has now submitted an application to the Office for Nuclear Regulation seeking approval to become the duty holder for Hunterston B’s nuclear site licence at the point of transfer, currently scheduled for spring 2026. Meanwhile, NRS and EDF have collaboratively submitted an application to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency requesting the transfer of the site’s Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 permit for radioactive substances activities.
Hunterston B
The applications explain how NRS will be a capable organisation to hold the licence and permit, setting out arrangements ranging from the NRS company board to detailed site and management structures.
Dr Andrew Munro, who has been appointed NRS managing director for the AGR and paired NRS sites, said: “We’re delighted and proud to submit these applications, representing almost two years of collaboration and hard work between NRS and, EDF, and our regulatory colleagues. We’ll now work with the regulators as they assess the applications and continue our exciting preparations for Hunterston B and the other AGR sites to become part of NRS, taking forward the important work of decommissioning the sites for all our futures.”
EDF’s Nuclear Decommissioning Director, Paul Morton, said: “I wholeheartedly welcome the huge progress being made to ensure the required licences and permits will be in place to support the transfer of Hunterston B next year. In particular, the delivery of the first environmental permit transfer application for an AGR in the UK has been a significant piece of joint working between EDF and NRS. There is still lots to do but knowing the application has been submitted to SEPA three months ahead of schedule is a real confidence boost for everyone involved.”?
Seven Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor sites (AGRs) will ultimately join NRS from EDF for decommissioning. Hunterston B will be the first in 2026 followed by Hinkley Point B later the same year. The other sites will be Dungeness B, Hartlepool, Heysham 1, Heysham 2 and Torness.