Nuclear clean up 'could cost £70 billion'

The cost of cleaning up and decommissioning Britain's ageing civil nuclear sites could amount to more than £70 billion, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has announced.

The NDA had originally estimated that the cost would be £56 billion.

NDA Chairman, Sir Anthony Cleaver, said that the cost of the clean up itself was estimated to be about £62.7 billion, additional costs of £7.5 billion, linked to contaminated land, had also been identified.

Responding to the announcement, environmental campaign group Greenpeace said: "Every time the costs of cleaning up nuclear sites are looked at the cost for the taxpayer spirals."

The announcement came as the government approved plans for the state-owned British Nuclear Fuels to sell its specialist clean-up business British Nuclear Group.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson said that a competitive sale was in the best commercial interest of BNFL. He said: "By bringing in external expertise more quickly, it also contributes to improved clean-up performance for the NDA and is therefore good for the taxpayer."

The sale of BNG means that the control of the Sellafield site will pass to the private sector.

The GMB union has condemned the deal. Gary Smith, GMB National Officer for Energy and Utilities, said: "The GMB is concerned that the sale of British Nuclear Group could lead to a Railtrack in the nuclear industry. Like Railtrack, it will be dependant on public money, the private sector managers will look out for number one and any corners cut could lead to a catastrophic mistake.

"This proposals will do nothing to build public confidence in the balanced energy policy the nation needs. GMB have said before that energy matters are too important to be left to market forces or be regulated by a quango. The government itself must be the regulator and be accountable to parliament for this role."

The Liberal Democrats also criticised the plans. The party's trade and industry spokesperson Edward Davey said: "The costs of dealing with nuclear waste are massive, rocketing and may already be spiralling out of control.

"It is astonishing that the Prime Minister has already decided on a new generation of nuclear power stations before we know the full cost of nuclear and the results of his own energy review."

(KMcA/SP)