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Magnox Ltd

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Magnox Ltd
Company typePrivate limited company
Founded2011 (2011)
Headquarters,
UK
Area served
United Kingdom
OwnerNuclear Decommissioning Authority
ParentCavendish Fluor Partnership
Websitewww.magnoxsites.co.uk

Magnox Ltd is a nuclear decommissioning Site Licence Company (SLC) controlled by Cavendish Fluor Partnership, its designated Parent Body Organisation (PBO). It operates under contract for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, a government body set up specifically to deal with the nuclear legacy under the Energy Act 2004.

Magnox Ltd is responsible for the decommissioning of ten Magnox nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom. The ten sites are Berkeley, Bradwell, Chapelcross, Dungeness A, Hinkley Point A, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Sizewell A, Trawsfynydd and Wylfa.[1] All the sites have ceased production. In addition, as part of the Trawsfynydd unit, Magnox Ltd operates a hydro-electric power station at Maentwrog.

The only Magnox power station in the UK not managed by Magnox Ltd is Calder Hall, which is part of the Sellafield site and is controlled by another SLC, Sellafield Ltd.

History

Magnox Ltd is the successor company to Magnox Electric, which was created in 1996 to take ownership of the Magnox assets from 'Nuclear Electric' and 'Scottish Nuclear'. The remaining nuclear power stations of these two companies, seven advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) sites and one pressurized water reactor (PWR) site, were transferred to a separate company, 'British Energy', which was then privatised in 1996. In January 1998 Magnox Electric came under the control of another government-owned company, 'British Nuclear Fuels', operating as 'BNFL Magnox Generation'.[2]

Following the reorganisation of the UK nuclear industry in 2005 ownership of BNFL's Magnox sites transferred to the newly created 'Nuclear Decommissioning Authority' ('NDA'). BNFL created a new subsidiary, 'Reactor Sites Management Company' ('RSMC'), to manage and operate Magnox Electric on behalf of the NDA. In June 2007, BNFL sold RSMC to the newly formed US company EnergySolutions; and transferred operational and management responsibilities of Magnox sites to the US company.[3]

On 1 October 2008, Magnox Electric was split into two companies based on the locations of the sites. Magnox North became the operator of Chapelcross, Hunterston A, Oldbury, Trawsfynydd and Wylfa. Magnox South[4] became and operator of Berkeley, Bradwell, Dungeness, Hinkley Point A and Sizewell A.[5] Both companies continued to be managed by RSMC.

In January 2011 to reduce costs and to help extend best practices across all sites, it was decided to reverse the split with Magnox North and Magnox South recombining as Magnox Ltd.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "About Us". Magnox.
  2. ^ "Merger creates nuclear giant". BBC.
  3. ^ "BNFL sells Reactor Sites Management Company to EnergySolutions". Business Sale Report.
  4. ^ Magnox South Ltd annual report
  5. ^ "Magnox Electric Limited Split in Two". Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
  6. ^ "Magnox Limited". Magnox.