Nuclear industry says waste site is key

The government said immobilising the Sellafield plutonium stockpile was the safest option

A functioning nuclear waste site is "key to the credibility and sustainability" of the UK's nuclear programme, the nuclear industry has said.

Two area in Cumbria have been identified as possible locations for a geological disposal facility (GDF) by government body Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).

Sellafield in Cumbria holds the world's largest stockpile of radioactive plutonium. Earlier this year the government said the material would be made ready for permanent disposal deep underground and put "beyond reach".

The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) said: "A functioning GDF is key to the credibility and sustainability of the UK's nuclear programme."

"Developers need confidence that the back end of the fuel cycle is being responsibly and sustainably managed, not just for regulatory compliance but also to secure investor confidence and public trust."

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said any potential GDF site would be subject to agreement with the community and "won't be imposed on an area without local consent".

The NIA also said it strongly supported this "partnership" approach.

Mid Copeland and south Copeland in Cumbria are the only two sites in the UK currently being considered by the government to host a nuclear waste disposal site.

A recent report by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (Nista) said the GDF's overall expected costs of between £20bn and £53bn would make it "unaffordable".