Nuclear Electric's approach to environmental management systems

Nuclear Electric (NE) currently operates the 11 nuclear power stations in England and Wales, generating 61 TWh of electricity in 93/94, constituting over 23% of the Country's electricity consumption. The company is also decommissioning 2 nuclear power stations, Berkeley and Trawsfynydd, and is progressing commissioning of the PWR station at Sizewell to time and cost. The company competes in the UK electricity market with the privatised generators National Power and Powergen who inherited the fossil fuelled stations of the CEGB. This paper outlines the nature of Nuclear Electric's existing environmental management systems, considers the implications of the adoption of a company environmental policy and looks at the exercise currently under way to incorporate the requirements of the policy into current management practices using BS7750 as a vehicle. (author)