The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is charged, on behalf of government, with the mission to clean-up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites safely, securely and cost effectively, one of the most important environmental programmes in the world. It is committed to overcoming the challenges of nuclear clean-up and decommissioning leaving the 17 nuclear sites ready for their next use. It does this work with care for its people, communities, and the environment, with safety its number one priority.
What the NDA does
As owner of one of the largest nuclear decommissioning and remediation programmes in Europe, the NDA’s main priority is to lead the work across the NDA group and develop the strategy for how it should be carried out. It also plays an important role in supporting the government’s aspiration for the UK to be a global leader in the civil nuclear sector.
How the NDA is set up
The NDA is a non-departmental public body created by the Energy Act 2004 to lead the clean-up and decommissioning work at its 17 sites on behalf of government. It is sponsored and funded by the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Its plans for cleaning up the sites are approved by DESNZ and Scottish ministers, who provide a framework for the NDA. The NDA has offices across the UK, in Cumbria, Warrington, Dounreay, Harwell and London.
The NDA’s sites
The UK’s nuclear landscape began to take shape in the post-war period and has evolved over many decades. The focus during the Cold War arms race was on producing material for Britain’s nuclear deterrent. When the nation’s priorities shifted, facilities were turned into nuclear power stations, and, from 1956 onwards, the UK’s first nuclear power stations began generating electricity for homes and businesses. Fuel fabrication and reprocessing plants were built from the 1970s to 1990s.
The NDA’s 17 sites reflect this legacy and include the first fleet of nuclear power stations, research centres, fuel-related facilities, and Sellafield, which has the largest radioactive inventory and the most complex facilities to decommission. Current plans indicate it will take more than 100 years to complete the NDA’s core mission of nuclear clean-up and waste management. The goal is to achieve the end state at all sites by 2333.
The NDA group
Decommissioning the UK’s nuclear legacy is a complex undertaking and relies on the full range of expertise and skills within the NDA group. Over the last few years, the NDA has brought together the organisations involved in delivering its mission to decommission the UK’s legacy sites and facilities into one group, as NDA subsidiary operating companies. It has also taken steps to join some of its subsidiary operating companies, reducing the number of organisations and boards. The NDA group is now made up of the NDA and its four key component parts:
• Sellafield
• Nuclear Restoration Services
• Nuclear Waste Services
• Nuclear Transport Solutions
The NDA’s other subsidiaries include Rutherford Indemnity, NDA Archives, NDA Properties and Energus. The NDA group had an annual budget in 2022/23 of £3.8 billion and a workforce of 17,000 highly skilled people.
The scope of the NDA group is set to grow, following arrangements agreed by the UK Government and EDF for decommissioning Britain’s seven advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs). The AGRs will reach the end of their operational lives over the next 10 years and as they come offline their ownership will transfer to the NDA for decommissioning, utilising the expertise of the group and significantly Nuclear Restoration Services’ (NRS’s) experience in decommissioning the older Magnox stations.
NDA Board members play a critical role of national importance. The Board provides leadership and direction to the NDA, offering appropriate and robust challenge in shaping the organisation’s strategy. Appointed by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in consultation with Scottish Ministers, the Board will lead the NDA through the next stage of delivering its mission. Led by the Chair, the Board will maintain effective relationships with stakeholders and represent the NDA externally.
Key Responsibilities of the Board
The Board has a collective responsibility for setting the strategic direction and effective management of the NDA’s affairs and ensures that it complies with the requirements of the Energy Act 2004, the Framework Document, Cabinet Office guidelines for non-departmental public bodies and other statutory and contractual obligations.
The Board provides effective and proactive leadership within a robust governance framework of clearly defined internal controls and risk management processes.
In addition to proposing and monitoring performance against the NDA's strategy, the Board is accountable for the NDA's culture (including the range of ESG expectations), governance, risk appetite (working with HMG and regulators), oversight of internal control and risk management processes, ensuring effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on operations, programmes and projects, stakeholder relationships, and succession planning for the Executive Leadership Team. The Board sets the NDA’s vision, values and standards of conduct and behaviour. It is also responsible for ensuring that these and its culture are aligned, regularly assessed and monitored.
The unitary nature of the Board means that nonexecutive members and executive members share the same collective responsibility for decisions taken by the Board, holding the Executive Leadership Team to account and for the development of the NDA’s strategy and operations.
Information and biographies of current NDA Board members can be found on the NDA website.
The Health, Safety, Security and Environment Committee (HSSECo)
The NDA Board are establishing a HSSE Committee as an advisory body to
support it in discharging its responsibilities in respect of issues of Health,
Safety (including both nuclear and non-nuclear safety), Security (cyber,
information, physical and asset security) and Environment in the NDA group.
The responsibility for these issues within the NDA group lies with the
Operating Companies (OpCos) and Duty Holders. In particular, the OpCos have
unambiguous responsibility for health, safety, security and environment on
their sites. However, the NDA Board has a duty of care over the performance of
its whole group in line with its governance framework and, in particular, must
be assured that the OpCos are discharging their responsibilities properly.
The
HSSE Committee provides oversight of the NDA’s statutory duty of care in line
with its governance framework, as the direct or indirect legal owner of group
assets and sites and carries out assurance on group compliance with relevant
legislation and group policies in matters of HSSE.This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the
Commissioner’s website 