Decommissioning the UK’s nuclear assets has long been a contentious issue, and the debate rages on. The costs keep rising, the timelines keep stretching, and the industry is caught in a frustrating cycle of inefficiency. But with today’s technology and innovative thinking, could there be an opportunity to turn this challenge into something more manageable – and affordable?
“OH NO there’s not!” cry the Regulator and the Treasury.
“Oh yes there is!” comes the reply.
And so, the pantomime continues.
The UK’s first attempts in the late 1970s and early 1980s to estimate the cost of decommissioning its nuclear assets were rudimentary at best—a classic ‘Back of a Fag Packet’ calculation. If memory serves, the figure was around £100 billion over 100 years, loaded with assumptions and caveats. Whilst there have been numerous subsequent updates, the cost figure only seems to grow ever bigger, and the time for completion is ever longer.
This is ludicrous.
The original nuclear reactors and fuel management plants were designed and built using pre and immediate post-World War II engineering principles – conservative and unyielding. By the 1970s and 1980s there was little change and with conservatism in engineering decision-making being the engineering watch-word the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” mindset still prevailed. I was there, a young voice calling for change, but my suggestions went unheeded.
Over the past 30 years, engineering as a whole has undergone a revolution. You only need to compare the cars of today with those of the 1990s to appreciate engineering advancement. Or look at the advances in aircraft design with their carbon-fibre wings and winglets.
More importantly, and of direct relevance to the nuclear industry, is the advancement of robotic technologies and artificial intelligence. If today we allow surgeons to use robots in routine sophisticated brain surgery, then surely the opportunities within nuclear decommissioning are immense.
Decommissioning is a pure cost; it contributes nothing to a country’s GDP and hinders the growth of one of our most valuable industries.
For new nuclear facilities, dismantling must be part of the design process, with decommissioning funds built in. Consequently, every design simplification that can be made is a ‘Penny Off’ the cost of generation. That is a ‘Win-Win’, benefitting both industries, facilitating improved competitiveness and retail consumers by lowering energy bills.
But what about the historical assets?
Built to achieve a short-term objective, they lack foresight for their eventual removal. The solution isn’t a ‘gold-plated widget’ for every task – it’s a wrecking ball when one will suffice. Yes, dismantling has to be performed safely, but it MUST be achieved as cheaply and as quickly as possible. The use of the current generation of robotics can make this possible, whether by sorting radioactive waste or demolishing contaminated structures.
Forget the Cries, “But we’ve never done this before, and it will cost Millions in development,” or “But what if the robot fails?”. An empty reactor cannot explode, an old but contaminated building needs cleaning and demolishing, and a heap of wet radioactive waste only needs sorting and packaging to minimise the cost of disposal.
Entrepreneurs, please use your skill and tenacity to positively influence the Regulators and show your business is willing to achieve success in solving legacy issues. I think you will find you’re pushing against an open door, and we can stop this endless funding and timing merry-go-round.
With its Energy and Nuclear network of international contacts, Prospect Law can help support your efforts in this vital industry.
The personal ramblings and observations of John Ireland, Senior Consultant
About the Author
John Ireland is an internationally experienced energy specialist and senior business executive skilled in the development, negotiation, and management of businesses and technically complex contracts within both the Government and private sectors. John has grown complex businesses in Asia and the Middle East, and assisted international organisations to develop business in and from the UK through joint ventures and partnerships.
