Nuclear Restoration Services(NRS) is a Britishnuclear decommissioningSite Licence Company (SLC) owned by theNuclear Decommissioning Authority(NDA).
 | |
| Company type | Private limited company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Nuclear decommissioning |
| Predecessor |
|
| Founded | 2023(Magnox Rebrand) 2024(Legal Company) |
| Headquarters | , England |
Number of locations | 13 nuclear sites |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Rob Fletcher, CEO |
| Owner | Nuclear Decommissioning Authority |
| Divisions | NRS Dounreay |
| Website | www |
It is responsible for the decommissioning of several first-generationnuclear powergeneration and research sites across theUK,and the operation of a hydro-electric plant.[1]
History
editNRS was created as part of re-structuring of the NDA Estate, which sawDounreayjoin withMagnox Ltdin April 2023.[1][2]In the future, NRS is expecting to assume control of decommissioning of sevenAdvanced Gas-cooled Reactorsites (AGRs), currently managed byEDF Energy.[1]
Magnox Electric plc
editMagnox Electric plc,which was created in 1996 to take ownership of the Magnox assets fromNuclear ElectricandScottish Nuclear.The remaining nuclear power stations of these two companies, sevenadvanced gas-cooled reactor(AGR) sites and onepressurised water reactor(PWR) site, were transferred to a separate company,British Energy,which was thenprivatisedin 1996. In January 1998, Magnox Electric came under the control of anothergovernment-owned company,British Nuclear Fuels Ltd,operating as BNFL Magnox Generation.[3]
Following a wider reorganisation of the UK nuclear industry in 2005, ownership of BNFL's Magnox sites transferred to the newly createdNuclear Decommissioning Authority(NDA) and Magnox was reorganised to aprivate limited company.[4]
BNFL created a new subsidiary,Reactor Sites Management Company(RSMC), to manage and operate Magnox Electric on behalf of the NDA. In June 2007, BNFL sold RSMC to the newly formed US companyEnergySolutions;and transferred operational and management responsibilities of Magnox sites to the US company.[5]
On 1 October 2008, Magnox Electric was split into two companies based on the locations of the sites.[4][6]Magnox North Ltdbecame the operator of Chapelcross, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Trawsfynydd and Wylfa.Magnox SouthLtdbecame and operator of Berkeley, Bradwell, Dungeness, Hinkley Point A and Sizewell A.[7][8]Both companies continued to be managed by RSMC.
Magnox Ltd
edit
In January 2011, to reduce costs and to help extend best practices across all sites, it was decided to reverse the split with Magnox North and Magnox South recombining asMagnox Ltd.[9]Magnox Ltd was formed in 2011 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of theNuclear Decommissioning Authority(NDA), responsible for the safedecommissioningof 12 British nuclear sites.[10]Originally created for the management ofMagnox nuclear reactors,it went through various forms of organisation throughout privatisation of the nuclear industry.[11]It was operated by the 'Cavendish Fluor Partnership' from 2014 until the early termination of that contract in 2019, when ownership was transferred to the NDA.[12]
In 2015, the Harwell and Winfrith sites managed by Research Sites Restoration Limited (RSRL) were brought under the management of Magnox Ltd.
In 2017, the NDA decided to terminate the contract with Cavendish Fluor Partnership believing a simplified approach would provide a more efficient decommissioning programme. Magnox Ltd became a subsidiary of the NDA on 3 September 2019.[11][13]
In February 2018, the UK parliament'sPublic Accounts Committee(PAC) concluded that the NDA had "dramatically under-estimated" costs and "completely failed" in the procurement and management of the contract, which was one of the highest value contracts let by the government. An independent inquiry into the deal was set up.[13][14]
Operations
editMagnox was responsible for the decommissioning of tenMagnoxnuclear power stationsand two former research facilities in the United Kingdom. The 12 sites were located atBerkeley,Bradwell,Chapelcross,Dungeness A,Hinkley Point A,Hunterston A,Oldbury,Sizewell A,Trawsfynydd,Wylfa,HarwellandWinfrith.[15]All the sites have ceased production.
In addition, as part of the Trawsfynydd unit, Magnox Ltd generatedhydro-electricpower atMaentwrog power station.The only Magnox power station in the United Kingdom not managed by Magnox Ltd isCalder Hall,which is part of theSellafieldsite and is controlled bySellafield Ltd.
Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL)
editDSRL was the site licence company for the Dounreay nuclear site. It was responsible for decommissioning the site, which includes former research facilities; nuclear fuel fabrication and reprocessing plants, and three nuclear reactors (two of which exported power to the national grid).
DSRL was formed in 2008, and from 2012 onwards was owned by a consortium of Parent Body Organisation (PBO) companies led by Babcock.[16]In 2021 ownership was transferred to the NDA, and the company ceased to exist in 2023 as Dounreay joined Magnox Ltd.[16]
Restructuring
editIn March 2023, it was announced that CEO Gwen Parry-Jones was to take up a position atGreat British Nuclear,with Rob Fletcher appointed as interim CEO of Magnox Ltd.[17]
Following restructuring of the estate, which saw Dounreay join Magnox, Magnox rebranded as Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) in October 2023.[18]In October 2023, Fletcher was appointed as permanent CEO.[19]In April 2023, Dounreay joined Magnox as part of a restructuring of the NDA estate.[20]Subsequently, from 31 October 2023, Magnox Ltd rebranded as Nuclear Restoration Services.[21]In April 2024, the company legally changed toNuclear Restoration Services Limited.
Timeline
editSites
edit
Magnox Power Stations
Nuclear Research Sites
Hydroelectric Power StationNRS is a site licence company with overall responsibility for operating and decommissioning 13 nuclear sites in the UK.
Additionally, it operates a hydro-electric power station.
| Magnox Power Stations | Nuclear Research Sites | Hydro-Electric Power Station |
|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | Dounreay | Maentwrog |
| Bradwell | Harwell | |
| Chapelcross | Winfrith | |
| Dungeness A | ||
| Hinkley Point A | ||
| Hunterston A | ||
| Oldbury | ||
| Sizewell A | ||
| Trawsfynydd | ||
| Wylfa |
NRS Dounreay
editThe Dounreay site is operated by a division of NRS, known as NRS Dounreay.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcd"Major nuclear company rebrands as 'Nuclear Restoration Services'".GOV.UK.Retrieved2023-11-10.
- ^ab"Dounreay has successfully joined with Magnox Limited".GOV.UK.Retrieved2023-11-10.
- ^"Merger creates nuclear giant".BBC.
- ^ab"MAGNOX LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved2024-02-26.
- ^"BNFL sells Reactor Sites Management Company to EnergySolutions".Business Sale Report.
- ^"MAGNOX SOUTH LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved2024-02-26.
- ^Magnox South Ltd annual report
- ^"Magnox Electric Limited Split in Two".Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-04-07.
- ^"Magnox Limited".Magnox. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-04-02.
- ^"About us".GOV.UK.Retrieved2024-02-26.
- ^ab"UK NDA takes over Magnox".Nuclear Engineering International. 5 September 2019.Retrieved12 September2019.
- ^"NDA to take over management of Magnox sites - World Nuclear News".www.world-nuclear-news.org.Retrieved2024-05-11.
- ^ab"NDA to take over management of Magnox sites".World Nuclear News. 3 July 2018.Retrieved9 July2018.
- ^"The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's Magnox contract".Public Accounts Committee.UK Parliament. 27 February 2018.Retrieved9 July2018.
- ^"About Us".Magnox. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-06-01.
- ^ab"Dounreay 2023".GOV.UK.Retrieved2024-05-11.
- ^"Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) announces leadership changes at Magnox Ltd".GOV.UK.Retrieved2023-11-01.
- ^"Our governance".GOV.UK.Retrieved2024-02-26.
- ^"NDA announces Magnox CEO appointment".GOV.UK.Retrieved2023-11-01.
- ^"Dounreay has successfully joined with Magnox Limited".GOV.UK.Retrieved2024-05-11.
- ^"Major nuclear company rebrands as 'Nuclear Restoration Services'".GOV.UK.Retrieved2023-11-01.
- ^"NUCLEAR RESTORATION SERVICES LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved2024-05-11.