Results published of public consultation on storage of decommissioned nuclear submarine reactors

In November 2014, the Ministry of Defence launched a public consultation about where the storage site for the reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) from twenty-seven de-fuelled submarines should be located.

The consultation ran for 14 weeks from 14 November 2014 to 20 February 2015 and gathered views on three main topic areas:
 the Strategic Environmental Assessment (Environmental Report);
 the process and criteria being used to compare the shortlisted storage sites; and
 the shortlisted sites and the differences between them.

Capenhurst Nuclear Services (CNS), Capenhurst has been selected as the preferred site for the location of the interim Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) store, using an existing storage facility on the site, with a site-level contingency of a new build store. The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Aldermaston site was named as a contingency site
in the event that a contract cannot be agreed with CNS.

The public consultation to choose the site for the storage of the RPVs ensured that the site selection process was open and robust, increased the breadth of the assessment criteria and emphasised the importance of safety and security to the public.