West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group
Sellafield
Message from the Managing Director
"WCSSG plays a central role in ensuring that local people have the information they need to understand and evaluate our performance. Sellafield Ltd places much importance on the partnership we have with the Sites Stakeholder Group and we greatly appreciate the work that it does."
Bill Poulson, Managing Director, Sellafield Ltd
Operated by Sellafield Ltd, the Sellafield site covers approximately 4 square kilometres and is located on the West Cumbrian coast.
The site is home to the world’s first commercial nuclear power station, Calder Hall, and has been operating as a nuclear licensed site since the 1940s.
Today the site employs 12,000 Sellafield Ltd and contracted workers, 95% of whom live within 30 miles of the site. Activities on the site include nuclear waste management, reprocessing and decommissioning.
Sellafield operates 365 days a year covering a wide range of nuclear lifecycle activities. In carrying out these activities nearly £500 million is spent annually with its suppliers and approximately £400 million per annum is paid in wages.
The scope of work for the Sellafield site is to safely discharge the nuclear liability on the site, deliver fuel cycle services in accordance with contractual commitments to utility customers and to manage all waste arisings on the site, treating and safely storing them and finally preparing them for transportation to the appropriate waste disposal facility.
All operations across Sellafield are carried out within a regulated framework including:
- The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), part of the HSE, who inspect nuclear and industrial safety on the site and enforce the arrangements to satisfy the Nuclear Site Licence.
- The Environment Agency who authorise disposal of waste as well as liquid and aerial discharges to the environment.
- The Office of Civil and Nuclear Security who advise on and regulate security.
- The local authority who is responsible for planning issues relating to Sellafield.
In addition, the site is subject to all relevant UK and European legislation, for example the Health and Safety at Work Act.