'Minor' leak at nuclear submarine dock

Submarines are laid up at Devonport

There has been a "minor" seawater leak at a naval base in Plymouth where 13 decommissioned nuclear submarines are stored.

A £3m contract has been awarded to repair the leak.

The contract for 3 Basin at Devonport dockyard is to "restore 3 Basin access and egress point capability for vessels to its original leak free intent".

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there was no environmental risk from the leak.

HMS Valiant, a nuclear-powered attack submarine that was decommissioned in 1994, is set to be the first submarine in Devonport to undergo dismantling.

An MoD spokesperson said: "Work is planned at 3 Basin at HMNB Devonport to address minor seawater leakage from the basin and weathered stone edgings.

"The leak does not present an environmental risk and both the basin and entrance gate remain structurally sound."

The MoD was criticised in 2019 over its failure to dispose of obsolete nuclear submarines.

It said it would dispose of them "as soon as practically possible".

There are 20 decommissioned submarines in storage at Devonport and Rosyth.

The estimated cost of fully disposing of a submarine is £96m, the National Audit Office has said.

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