Optimism over Sellafield's future

Sellafield will be decommissioned in April 2005

Unions say they are optimistic about the future of Sellafield as workers prepare for the site's decommissioning.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will assume ownership of the nuclear reprocessing complex in April 2005, when decommissioning begins.

It is hoped the creation of the new authority will facilitate better planning for the site.

Peter Kane, who represents joint union interests at Sellafield, said he feels positive about the new approach.

'Regular meetings'

He said: "We're up for the challenge, and confident in our own abilities. We're an experienced workforce and the whole thing is an opportunity about which we're very optimistic.

"The only issue we have is that the NDA won't come in until April. It's not a big company at the moment - it's still building up - but we'll be meeting with them regularly to get a good idea of what they want.

"We're also optimistic about what we call nuclear replacement build, which would mean the UK becoming completely self-sufficient by using nuclear and renewable energy.

"We think that's the way forward instead of, for example, having to import nuclear energy from France and gas from the Middle East, as could be the case in the future."