AWE response to ONR decision

Below is AWE's response to the publication today (July 13) of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)  decision to serve AWE with an Improvement Notice.

AWE is making good progress towards a long term strategy to manage Higher Activity Waste (HAW).
The identification and implementation of appropriate treatment and storage options for our HAW is a prolonged task and AWE has been focusing on a long-term solution since 2011.

AWE will continue to work with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and other Nuclear Site Licence Companies on opportunities to find UK-wide solutions for this waste.

Delivering safe and secure operations is a core priority for AWE as is continuous improvement in environmental performance. This includes an enduring commitment to manage our waste in a safe and compliant manner.

Haydn Clulow Site Director said: “AWE welcomes the ONR’s acknowledgement that our arrangements for managing the storage of Higher Activity Waste at our Aldermaston site does not give rise to significant risk to the health and safety of the public or our workforce in the short or medium term. AWE HAW programme is considering appropriate treatment and storage options for all forms of HAW stored at Aldermaston and not those just covered by Licence Instrument 511. As our HAW work programme develops a number of projects will be established and completed in order to meet the ONR’s expectations of the long term requirements for HAW.”