NDA News 06 February 2009

The NDA, in conjunction with Magnox South, Magnox North and Sellafield Ltd, published the eighth update of The Magnox Operating Programme (MOP) in March 2008. The MOP defines the key deliverables of the whole Magnox fuel cycle covering fuel manufacture, electricity generation, fuelling and defuelling of reactors, and reprocessing of spent fuel.

Magnox has monitored progress against the MOP and based on its status at the end of August 2008 the forecast for completion of reprocessing has been adjusted by two months to March 2016 as opposed to the previously published date of January 2016.

This takes into account the following elements:

• Performance since August 2007
• The latest Magnox Reprocessing schedule and P80 forecast end date
• Updated fuel usage forecasts allowing Oldbury to generate
• Active commissioning of the Calder Hall fuel route before the start of bulk defuelling

As the change to the schedule is minimal, it has been agreed by all parties involved that MOP8 remains a valid and achievable programme and therefore there is no need to re-issue the full MOP document.