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By NIA Chairman, Philip Dewhurst
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| Philip Dewhurst, NIA Chairman |
It is clear that the Government's energy review that was eagerly expected shortly after the election is not likely to be announced for several months. Nonetheless, there remains a great deal for NIA and the industry to do to ensure that the case for nuclear energy is presented as convincingly as possible. Excellent work is taking place in NIA and its member companies in developing the arguments and the messages and in delivering them to a wide audience. A recent important initiative is the launch of a new website at www.energy-choices.com which looks at the role of nuclear energy within the overall context of energy policy and Britain's future energy needs. I hope Industry Link readers will use this new resource and provide the team at NIA with feedback, comments and suggestions.
The launch of the NDA in April was a landmark event in the recent history of the British nuclear industry and heralds a period of radical change. Inevitably, these early days are a period of transition: the NDA is still recruiting staff and settling into its new role. The industry will be looking for certainty of direction from the NDA in terms of its strategy, market structures and the scope and shape of projects. NIA's companies have an enormous and impressive range of skills and expertise and a great capacity for technical and project innovation in all areas of the nuclear fuel cycle, not least in decommissioning, environmental remediation, clean-up and waste management, and the commercial and technical opportunities offered by the NDA are a boon to the industry. I used my speech at the "Fuel for Thought" conference to highlight the importance to the NDA and the industry of an open dialogue to enable NIA's companies to inform the NDA of what they have to offer and discuss how they can assist the NDA to meet its objectives for decommissioning and clean up effectively. NIA has an important role in providing that interface and we look forward to a productive relationship.
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