AWE Burghfield placed back in special measures as Aldermaston remains in them for the fourth year running
The Office for Nuclear Regulation has announced that both the Aldermaston and Burghfield Atomic Weapons Establishment sites will require 'enhanced regulatory attention' as a result of failures to improve nuclear safety performance at the two sites. Read more.
Astute class submarine HMS Ambush damaged in collision off Gibraltar
HMS Ambush, one of the Royal Navy's newest nuclear-powered submarines has been damaged following a collision with a merchant ship during a training exercise in the Mediterranean Sea. Read more.
Skills shortage threatens Ministry of Defence nuclear programmes
A shortage of skilled nuclear personnel within the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Royal Navy is “the principal threat to the delivery of nuclear safety”, according to an internal MoD report. Read more.
Capenhurst selected as interim storage site for submarine reactor vessels
The Ministry of Defence has selected the Capenhurst Nuclear Services site in Cheshire as the preferred site to store radioactive reactor pressure vessels from dismantled nuclear submarines. The selection of a site concludes a process begun in 2012 and means that decommissioning work can begin on the submarines. Read more.
Cuts to Ministry of Defence police raise Trident security concerns
Eamon Keating, the chairman of the Defence Police Federation, has warned that cuts to the Ministry of Defence Police could place the security of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons at risk. Read more.
Regulators raise concerns over safety incident and tritium leak at Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) “is a safe place, but could be a lot safer”, according to Iain Coucher, the new chief executive of the Establishment. Mr Coucher made the comment at a recent meeting of the AWE local liaison committee where it was reported that regulators have censured AWE in relation to two separate incidents. Read more.
David Cullen appointed as new Research Manager at Nuclear Information Service
The Nuclear Information Service is delighted to announce that David Cullen has been appointed to the post of Research Manager for the organisation.
David Cullen has a background in environmental, social justice and disarmament campaigning. He worked for six years as the main researcher for the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons, and before joining Nuclear Information Service he worked on a community energy project in Salford.
David will be responsible for ensuring that NIS continues to undertake ground-breaking research and provide information that highlights the costs, risks, and environmental impacts of the UK's nuclear weapons programme.
Peter Burt, who has been NIS's Research Manager since 2014, will work alongside David for a handover period until the end of this year, and then move to a new role.