EN Official Journal of the European Union C 26/3

COMMISSION OPINION

of 12 August 2004

concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning of the Calder Hall Nuclear Power Station located in Cumbria in the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(2005/C 26/03)

(only the English text is authentic)

On 27 January 2004, the European Commission received from the Government of the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning of the Calder Hall Nuclear Power Station.

The Commission notes that some of the data submitted is based on a qualitative analysis but the Group of Experts has been able to draw conclusions on the basis of the available information. The Commission recommends that the UK authorities update the General Data once the detailed analysis has been completed so as to allow the Commission to consult the Group of Experts if necessary.

On the basis of the General Data and the additional information requested by the Commission on 13 April 2004 and provided by the UK authorities on 1 June 2004, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

a) The distance between the plant and the nearest point of another Member State, in this case Ireland, is approximately 180 km.

b) During normal decommissioning operation, discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will not cause an exposure of the population in other Member States that is significant from the point of view of health.

c) Solid radioactive waste arising from the treatment of waste will be stored in a facility off-site. Non-radioactive solid waste and materials in compliance with clearance levels will be released from regulatory control for disposal as conventional waste or for recycling or reuse. This will be done in compliance with the criteria laid down in the Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom).

d) In the event of unplanned discharge of radioactive waste, which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in other Member States would not be significant from the point of view of health. It is noted that while the UK has entered bilateral agreements with a number of States with respect to emergency planning, such an agreement has not yet been concluded with the nearest neighbour Member State under consideration in the current submission namely Ireland. This was also noted by the Commission in a previous submission made by the UK authorities under Article 37 in relation to the THORP facility. It is further noted that such an agreement is currently being pursued and it is recommended that efforts in this direction be continued and brought to a successful and timely conclusion.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form arising from the decommissioning of the Calder Hall Nuclear Power Station in the United Kingdom, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.