Nuclear Power Stations: National Security
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK’s preparedness to respond to a nuclear safety incident arising from damage to a nuclear power plant by hostile actors.
Answered by Michael Shanks
The UK has an established nuclear safety regime, which it keeps under regular review to ensure it is responsive to emerging threats.
The independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), requires civil nuclear facilities to be designed and operated with layers of defence-in-depth, to provide protection and mitigation if a control fails. This multi-layered approach encompasses physical, cyber, personnel security, and safety fail-safes. Additionally, high consequence nuclear sites are protected by a dedicated, onsite armed police force.
Site safety and security arrangements are regularly tested, exercised, and reviewed to maintain their effectiveness in the unlikely event of an incident. This provides confidence that the UK’s civil nuclear power plants are designed to uphold nuclear safety and effectively counteract threats, including those posed by hostile actors.
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