Describing yesterday’s White Paper details as a step in the right direction, CORE believes that the transfer of BNFL (and UKAEA) liabilities to the new Libilities Management Agency realistically represents little more than ‘moving the Sellafield deckchairs around’ at great public expense.
Welcoming the potential for a more transparent management of BNFL’s liabilities by the LMA, CORE however sees a major inconsitency in the Agency’s plans which on the one hand seek to control and manage the significant legacy wastes at Sellafield in a way which ‘protects the environment for the benefit of current and future generations’, yet on the other hand is quite willing to contemplate allowing their temporary tenant BNFL to pursue new reprocessing and MOX contracts on the basis that BNFL customers (rather than the British public) are footing the bill for THORP’s wastes and clean-up costs.. A CORE spokesperson said
“ The LMA can’t have it both ways. A genuine desire to protect our environment means not only no new contracts but an immediate end to reprocessing. It is a nonsense to turn a blind eye to THORP’s operations because somebody else is paying – it is always Cumbria and its environment that ends up in the long run paying the price for THORP’s discharges and contamination “
The rise in liabilty figure to £48Bn (an increase of £6BN since last November’s LMA announcement following BNFL’s bankruptcy, comes as little surprise to CORE who believe the final figure will be significantly greater. Describing BNFL and its finances as being UK’s version of Enron and WorldCom, CORE has already called on the LMA to carry out a full investigation of BNFL’s annual accounts dating back to 1982 when inconsistencies in the company’s accounting policy and practices were first discovered. CORE has pointed out the necessity of accurately assessing BNFL’s total liabilities before any transfer is made to the LMA and the likely loss of public confidence in the LMA’s intentions if this is not done.
CORE’s spokesperson added “ despite BNFL having its slate wiped clean of the liabilities that have arisen from its own inept management of Sellafield’s operations, the Company’s Chief Executive still publicly maintains that these legacy wastes resulted from pre-BNFL opertations. Norman Askew should read the White Paper properly and acknowledge that these wastes include those from B205’s magnox reprocessing which BNFL took over 30 years ago and from his more recently acquired magnox power stations ”
CORE will be submitting a full response to the LMA White Paper in due course.