The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

We are a non-departmental public body, established under the Energy Act 2004. We are responsible for the decommissioning and clean-up of the UK's civil public sector nuclear sites. Our sponsoring Government department is the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC); for some aspects of our functions in Scotland we are responsible to Scottish Ministers.

We are responsible for

• developing UK-wide nuclear Low Level Waste (LLW) strategy and plans;
• the long-term management arrangements for the UK's higher radioactive wastes; and
• 19 former UKAEA and BNFL sites.
  
• More information on our mission
• More information on our approach

How We Operate

We do not directly manage the facilities that we own. Instead we contract out the delivery of site programmes through management and operation contracts with licensed operators, Site Licence Companies (SLCs), at each site.

SLCs manage sites, including preparing site plans, performing and sub-contracting work. Parent Body Organisations (PBOs) own shares in SLCs for the duration of their contract with the NDA. The PBO is responsible for managing the delivery of site programmes. We periodically compete the contracts with PBOs.

Our Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) will be responsible for the delivery of the geological disposal facility. In due course its ownership may be opened up to competition in line with other NDA sites. Further dialogue with Government, the regulators and the supply chain will be required before the step is taken to determine whether this is the appropriate implementation approach.

• More information on competitions
• More information on sites
• More information on geological disposal

Our Budget

The Department for Energy and Climate Change and HM Treasury set our annual operational budget. Our budget is a combination of Government funding and income from our commercial assets.

For 2009/10 the annual budget was agreed at £2,788.7 million comprised of:

• £1,632.9 million Government grant-in-aid; and
• £1,155.8 million project income.

The NDA's annual expenditure for 2009/10 is expected to be:

• £2,504.6 million on our site programme; and
• £284.1 million on non-site activities, including:
• • support for skills;
  • research and development;
  • insurance; and
  • pension costs.

Our planned total expenditure for 2010/11 is expected to be £2,773.7 million.

• More information on lifetime financials for each site

Our Location

In addition to our headquarters at Herdus House in West Cumbria, we have a network of offices across the UK. These offices work with Site Licence Companies (SLCs) and are located in:

• Harwell;
• Warrington;
• Sellafield; and
• Thurso.

A small London office provides a central location for direct liaison with Government officials.

• More information on our people