A state-funded authority will be created to pay for remaining decommissioning work at Bradwell Power Station if a new Bill is passed by Parliament.
The Government is this week due to publish a draft Bill that would see financial responsibility for Bradwell and other defunct British Nuclear Fuels plants around the country pass to a new body to be called the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).
BNFL is now spending more money on cleaning up former power stations than it gets in from generating electricity at active ones, and is next month expected to announce a £1 billion loss for the last financial year.
That means mooted plans to partially privatise the Government-owned company are unlikely ever to get off the ground.
The company has supported the proposals ever since they were first raised last year, and a spokesman for the firm confirmed yesterday that it would welcome the creation of the NDA.
Both BNFL and the Government have stressed that, in the meantime, the firm's huge debts will not affect its ability to get credit, or impact on safety or staff wages at Bradwell
Published Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article