Our regulators

Safety and security is at the heart of everything we do. We are independently regulated and are required to comply with everything from having appropriate designs for nuclear plant and equipment, trained and suitably experienced staff, to managing nuclear waste safely and effectively.

Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation

Regulates our Fire Authority (fire safety) and our on-site Fire and Rescue Service (operations, manpower, appliances, equipment and response).

Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator

Part of Defence Safety Authority, regulates the nuclear weapons.

Environment Agency

Regulates compliance with environmental legislation, permits and discharge authorisations.

Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)

Our sites are licensed by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) meaning we are subject to exactly the same regulation as the UK’s civil nuclear industry. A set of 36 Standard Conditions, covering design, construction, operation and decommissioning, is also attached to each licence. These conditions require licensees to implement adequate arrangements to ensure compliance.

Stringent standards, independently audited

To prepare for licensing, we developed safety cases for both sites – examining every single operation, assessing its risks and seeing how they could be eliminated or reduced. These form part of our robust safety management system, which is routinely audited as part of our site licence conditions.

Our environment and health and safety performance are reported and published regularly.