Representatives have warned of the speed and cost of cleaning the Sellafield nuclear discharge and raising concerns about the “optimal level” workplace culture on the site.
Members of the Parliament’s General Accounts Committee (PAC) urged the government and presidents in the sprawling group of the deteriorating buildings in Compera to understand the “unbearable risks” provided by its aging infrastructure.
In a detailed report on the site, Pac said that Selafield was not moving at a speed enough to address its greatest risks; The alarm raised his culture; He said that the government did not guarantee the achievement of value for money from taxpayer funds.
In 2023, the guardian Nuclear leaks The investigation revealed a series of safety concerns on the site – including an escalation of concerns about a Radio liquid leakage From a analyzed building known as Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) – as well as cybersecurity failures and the allegations of poor workplace culture.
Pak – which I heard evidence In March of Sellafield and the Supervisory Authority, the Nuclear Operating Authority (NDA) found that the state-owned company has missed most of its annual waste recovery targets from several buildings, including MSSS.
As a result of Sellafield [the MSSS] “It is possible that it will remain very dangerous for a longer period,” the deputies said.
The final cost of Sellafield cleaning, which contains waste from weapons and atomic power generation, was It is estimated at 136 billion pounds It can take more than 100 years.
“Unfortunately, our recent report is intertwined with a number of examples of failure, exceeding costs, and continuous safety fears. Given tens of billions at stake, and the risks of the site on both the environment and human life, and this is simply not good enough,” said Jeffrey Clefton Brown, Pac president.
He added: “As with climate change combating, the huge size of the hundred -year -old timeline of the operating project makes it difficult to understand the risks of immediate safety and costs that can be left behind.
“Every day in Sellafield is a race with time to complete business before the buildings reach the end of their life. Our report contains many signs that this is a race that Sellafield risk.”
Representatives indicated that one project, which is now a non -laboratory on the site, has led to a “waste of 127 million pounds.”
The cost of cleaning Sellafield caused Tensions with the cabinet As an advisor, Rachel Reeves, she tries to tighten public spending and stimulate growth. Sellafield, who is home to the world’s largest store for plutonium, said in February that approximately 3 billion pounds in new financing was. “Not enough”.
Last year, Sellafield was apologized 332500 pounds of £ After acknowledged that he was guilty of criminal charges for years of cybersecurity.
Pac noted that the timetable for a government project to create a long -term underground store for nuclear waste, including those held in Sellafield, had slipped from 2040 to the late fifties. The government is studying sites in CORBIAL and Lincolenchery, although it is expected that the last Lincolnchyer Province Council will withdraw the last of the operation after that. Local audio opposition.
Representatives said they found “indications of an optimal level culture” in Sellafield, and they indicated that NDA paid 377200 pounds At 2023-24 to settle employment claims. Alison Makdirmot, the former human resource advisor who Fears of bullying and “toxic culture” raised On the site, she said she felt “justified” through the report.
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PAC urges the government to determine how NDA and Sellafield detention to calculate its performance. He said that Sellafield should make reports annually on the progress made against goals and explain how the deteriorating condition of its origins is dealt with. She said that NDA should publish data on the spread of bullying and harassment in nuclear sites.
“There are early indications of some improvements in the delivery of Sellafield”, but it said that the government needs to do “much more” to ensure that presidents are protecting taxpayers.
“We welcome the committee and report the committee. We will now look in more detail in the recommendations and look at the best way to address it.
“We take the results seriously, the safety of the site and the luxury of our people will always be our highest priorities.”
Spokesman energy “We expect the highest safety and security standards where the previous nuclear sites are dismantled, and that the organizer is clear that public safety is not at risk in Sellafield.
“We continue to support the stopping of nuclear operation in its supervision of Sellafield, while the driving value is for money. This is supported by monthly performance reviews and increased responsibility for overseeing the performance of the main project, providing more direct audit and intervention.
“We have zero of bullying, harassment and offensive behavior in the workplace-we expect Sellafield and NDA to work on this basis, investigate allegations and take strong measures when needed.”
