British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) as a Business

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British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) as a Business

BNFL is an international nuclear energy business, wholly-owned by the UK Government.  Its focus is to serve its nuclear utilities and government customers across the world by providing a broad range of technical and engineering products and services.

The Company operates in the UK, Europe, Former Soviet Union, USA and Far East.

There are two business groups: Nuclear Utilities Group “a leading provider of advanced reactor design, nuclear plant services, fuel manufacture, spent fuel recycling, engineering and transport services to nuclear utility customers” and Government Services Group “an international provider of nuclear clean-up, decommissioning and environmental services, together with nuclear facility management and operations, serving governments and the commercial nuclear industry”.

Key areas of activity are:

·
Fuel manufacture, reactor design and services – BNFL is one of the dominant forces in this £2.5 billion a year marketplace.
·
Electricity generation – BNFL is responsible for power generation from the UK’s remaining operational Magnox stations.
·
Spent fuel services – BNFL is one of only two key players in the global market for the management and recycling of used reactor fuel.
·
Decommissioning and environmental services – BNFL is an international leader in decommissioning nuclear facilities and cleaning up the legacy of the Cold War.

The importance of stakeholders

BNFL Alpha (Assets, Liabilities and Financial Authority) is BNFL’s internal customer, working as an interface with the UK government prior to the formation of the NDA (Nuclear Decommissioning Authority).  BNFL Alpha will develop and place internal contracts for the management of BNFL’s nuclear assets and liabilities and funding to be passed to the NDA.

As the customer BNFL Alpha, will expect BNFL to manage these assets as a professional, reliable, service provider.  BNFL must prove to the customer that it is the contractor of choice.  

Within the last year BNFL Alpha have set demanding targets for service delivery spanning all areas of overall management, operations and engineering.  Sellafield Management and Operations Services (SMOS) met or exceeded 51 out of 54 contract deliverables.  When setting  the new targets, BNFL Alpha  be expecting BNFL to safely perform the tasks and meet these targets.  It will also be closely monitoring the ability to keep to agreed ‘scope, schedule and cost’.  BNFL Alpha will be looking for exemplary performance in safety, plant operations and decommissioning activities.

Recently, the outside world were informed about British Nuclear Group that has been launched as an ‘aggressive, safe and profitable nuclear clean up business operating in the Uk, Europe and the USA.

British Nuclear Group is a standalone commercial business developed to tackle the challenges set by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)  and continue to deliver for its global customers.  In the UK, the focus will be on delivering ‘innovative clean-up programmes for the NDA to enable them to demonstrate value for money for the UK taxpayer.

The majority of BNFL’s UK assets and liabilities will transfer to the NDA on 1 April 2005.

British Nuclear Group is organised into three business areas:

  • Management Services – comprising Sellafield site, the Magnox operating and decommissioning power station sites and the Capenhurst site, will be responsible for the delivery of accelerated site clean-up operations.
  • Project Services – will act as a subcontractor to site licensee companies while continuing to provide value for money technical solutions to current and future customers.
  • BNFL Inc – will apply UK driven solutions in the US commercial market place.

British Nuclear Group’s new mission is: ‘To generate maximum shareholder value through uncompromising application of simple, disciplined programme delivery’

Commissioning of a new Wet Inlet Facility (WIF) will be used to store fuel from the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet for the nest 40 years on behalf for the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

The Media is a very important stakeholder in the business.  In all communications the business aims to provide clear, concise and honest information.  It also strives to create a professional relationship with all sections of the media (TV, radio, newspapers).  It is important for both the business, environmental and public welfare that the media retain close relationships with the business to ensure that the information they pass on is accurate and without prejudice to other stakeholders.

Pressure Groups like CORE (Cumbria Opposed to a Radioactive Environment), Greenpeace, etc, have their own beliefs and values with regard to nuclear energy and how BNFL runs.  They view the world, as a whole, and the local area as a precious commodity to be enjoyed by all and dislike anything or anyone that they view as detrimental to this as a threat and a challenge.  The pressure groups feel they have a responsibility to the community to expose anything they feel underhand and a threat to world peace, health and safety in the environment.  BNFL has a responsibility to these pressure groups to promote acceptance of free speech and welcome improvements, embargos, etc imposed by regulators.

Regulatory bodies: eg HSE (Health and Safety Executive) is responsible for work-related health and safety law.  HSE is the licensing authority for nuclear installations and through its NII (Nuclear Installations Inspectorate), regulates the nuclear, radiological and industrial safety of nuclear installations in the UK;

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EA (Environment Agency) is responsible for the enforcement of laws and regulations aimed at protecting the environment.  This includes authorizing and controlling radioactive discharges and radioactive waste disposals to air, water and land.

Other regulatory bodies include EPA (Environment Protection Agency), NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission), NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations).

Many local businesses are heavily reliant on BNFL at Sellafield.  As direct suppliers, eg Romar for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and service providers, eg NRL, Roevin, etc for agency staff.  These suppliers and service providers, in turn, have their own suppliers and/or service providers and so the success of BNFL has a knock-on effect on ...

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