10 September 2004
The European Commission has launched legal proceedings against the UK because it has not been given sufficient access to conduct nuclear inspections at Sellafield.
Commission inspectors are required to check on material being stored in nuclear plants to ensure it is not being diverted from peaceful purposes. But the commission will tell the European Court of Justice that it has not had full access for five years.
The dispute centres on access to an area of Sellafield known as 'pond B30', which contains fuel that corroded years ago while awaiting reprocessing. It has now turned to sludge, making it difficult to estimate the amount of material left.
The commission claims that a lack of access makes it impossible for inspectors to check the amount of material stored against official records.
Loyola de Palacio, the commission's vice-president responsible for energy, said the commission had failed to get a 'clear commitment' from the UK government. 'We have not been able to get them to draw up a clear plan of action with a clear timetable,' she added.
PFsep2004
