SC@nuclear
Manufacturing a Nuclear Future
Saturday 19 May 2012
The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) is the trade association and representative voice of Britain's civil nuclear industry. It represents more than 270 companies and some 59,000 UK nuclear workers. The NIA supports the commercial interests of its member as part of a diverse energy mix for the UK including renewables, clean coal and gas, with nuclear at the heart of a low-carbon future.

Japan – Nuclear Update

  • The current situation in Japan is a major humanitarian disaster and our sympathies are very much with the Japanese people at this time of such distress.

 

  • Fukushima is a major and very serious nuclear accident. It was caused by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami of unprecedented scale and ferocity. All affected nuclear stations in Japan shutdown automatically as designed, including Fukushima. In that case, however, the tsunami disabled the back-up cooling systems causing the fuel in the reactors and spent fuel storage ponds to overheat. Some radiation has been released to the atmosphere, with the highest doses in or close to the plant. Operators are still battling to restore the plants to a safe condition, and we do not yet have all the facts.

 

  • The situation is a major concern for the nuclear industry worldwide, and we are closely monitoring developments.

 

  • Some governments and operators have, in our view, prematurely rushed to judgment and taken immediate steps to restrict nuclear development as a result of these events.

 

  • Clearly, the seismic conditions in Japan and northern Europe, including UK, are very different and the circumstances that caused this accident would not occur here.

 

  • Nonetheless, operators of nuclear stations here (EdF Energy and Magnox) have already taken action in the light of events in Japan, to strengthen their procedures to maintain the safety of UK nuclear plant, and protect the public.

 

  • For example, EdF Energy has already reviewed back-up cooling systems and emergency plans at its existing UK plants.

 

  • The UK government’s approach, exemplified in statements by PM and Chris Huhne, is to establish and assess the facts, learn the lessons, and apply them to the UK’s situation and conditions.

 

  • The Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr Mike Weightman, will produce an interim report by May and a full report within 6 months to inform further actions in the UK. 

 

  • The UK industry is determined to learn lessons from this event as safety is an absolute priority for our industry. We cannot and will not be complacent.

 

  • The government’s approach is responsible and sensible. Both the government and the industry are clear that new nuclear build will go ahead in the UK to secure our long term environmental and security of supply needs into the future.

 

  • We need therefore to continue urgently with our work to develop and expand the capability within the UK nuclear supply chain to build a fleet of nuclear power stations in the UK.
  • The current situation in Japan is a major humanitarian disaster and our sympathies are very much with the Japanese people at this time of such distress.

 

  • Fukushima is a major and very serious nuclear accident. It was caused by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami of unprecedented scale and ferocity. All affected nuclear stations in Japan shutdown automatically as designed, including Fukushima. In that case, however, the tsunami disabled the back-up cooling systems causing the fuel in the reactors and spent fuel storage ponds to overheat. Some radiation has been released to the atmosphere, with the highest doses in or close to the plant. Operators are still battling to restore the plants to a safe condition, and we do not yet have all the facts.

 

  • The situation is a major concern for the nuclear industry worldwide, and we are closely monitoring developments.

 

  • Some governments and operators have, in our view, prematurely rushed to judgment and taken immediate steps to restrict nuclear development as a result of these events.

 

  • Clearly, the seismic conditions in Japan and northern Europe, including UK, are very different and the circumstances that caused this accident would not occur here.

 

  • Nonetheless, operators of nuclear stations here (EdF Energy and Magnox) have already taken action in the light of events in Japan, to strengthen their procedures to maintain the safety of UK nuclear plant, and protect the public.

 

  • For example, EdF Energy has already reviewed back-up cooling systems and emergency plans at its existing UK plants.

 

  • The UK government’s approach, exemplified in statements by PM and Chris Huhne, is to establish and assess the facts, learn the lessons, and apply them to the UK’s situation and conditions.

 

  • The Chief Nuclear Inspector, Dr Mike Weightman, will produce an interim report by May and a full report within 6 months to inform further actions in the UK. 

 

  • The UK industry is determined to learn lessons from this event as safety is an absolute priority for our industry. We cannot and will not be complacent.

 

  • The government’s approach is responsible and sensible. Both the government and the industry are clear that new nuclear build will go ahead in the UK to secure our long term environmental and security of supply needs into the future.

 

  • We need therefore to continue urgently with our work to develop and expand the capability within the UK nuclear supply chain to build a fleet of nuclear power stations in the UK.
 
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