Essentially, potential investors require greater predictability and clarity in the timing and scope of the planning and licensing processes, longer-term market signals based on a value for carbon and a clear policy on nuclear waste management. Such measures would create the framework in which investment could take place.

The NDA published its strategy document at the end of March. The strategy contained important information for NIA members on the timing of competition for NDA sites, and the further restructuring of the industry with the sale of British Nuclear Group. Much of the related publicity focused on the increased estimates of the cost of decommissioning and cleaning up the NDA's sites. It was probably inevitable that the NDA's detailed investigations of the scale of the task through the refinement of the Life Cycle Baselines would result in higher estimates. However, international experience indicates that those costs will fall as new, innovative approaches in management and to the execution of the work are introduced. This was a clear message from Terry Selby, the NDA's Director of Strategy, when he presented the strategy to NIA members at the Decommissioning Working Group on 6 April.

There are undoubtedly exciting commercial opportunities for NIA members from developments in the nuclear sector at home and overseas. For its part, NIA will continue to pursue its clear objective which is to promote the use of nuclear energy and raise the quality of debate by presenting the facts to a range of external audiences, and to foster the commercial interests of our members.