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Nuclear Power: Security

Asked by Graham LeadbitterScottish National PartyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 20 October 2025UIN 80571

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the annual cost is of armed protection of (a) nuclear energy, (b) nuclear waste and (c) other nuclear sites; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of his Department's policies on those costs.

Answered by Michael Shanks

Armed protection is provided by the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at our most sensitive nuclear sites and by some Home Office Police forces at less sensitive sites.

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary is funded by charges to its service recipients, the site license companies. The costs charged to these for the financial year 2024/25 was:

  1. Nuclear Energy - £57.9M
  2. Waste and decommissioning - £80.4M
  3. Other nuclear sites - £6.0M

The security of the UK’s critical national infrastructure is of paramount importance to the Government. The department works with the regulator and industry to respond to changing national security threats.

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