Decommissioning

Hamish Lal, construction practice leader at the London office of Jones Day speaks to Katherine Steiner-Dicks about how he is settling into his first few months at the global law firm, his expectations on capacity guarantees for utility companies and what gets him excited about nuclear in today’s marketplace.

Q: How has the nuclear side of your business been doing since you came on board in October?

A: I joined Jones Day in October 2009.  The magic point is that Jones Day is a world-wide law firm and given that the nuclear sector extends far beyond the UK, naturally our business is strong. We’re doing very well and we expect to be leading on the major projects (both in the UK and around the globe).  

Q: Do you think that the UK is still a far way off before capacity guarantee agreements for utility companies (not just what they can produce, but can supply) are put into action/become legally binding? Please explain.

A: Nuclear power is great base-load, but I agree there is a lot of work to do before utilities will sign-up to capacity guarantees. Time-lines are still dynamic, with regulatory issues, such as generic design assessment and planning still to be settled, and with construction risk/delays it is unlikely that such guarantees will be signed.  However, as risk reduces I can see such documents being offered.

Q: What is the progress so far any construction plans of a centralised nuclear waste facility in the UK (as part of the decommissioning programme)?

A: The NDA is charged with looking after this deep waste geological repository. This is a massive project and we are years away from construction plans being considered or submitted for assessment.  

Q: What gets you excited about the potential rebirth of the UK nuclear market?

A: Funded Decommissioning Programmes and the role of the Nuclear Liabilities Funding Assurance Board (NLFAB).  The Secretary of State can seek amendments to the design and decommissioning plans throughout the life of the plant and it will be fascinating to see how the supply chain reacts to the risk of 'change' pre, during and post construction.  Further, various bodies will be watching to ensure that the new build programme remains 'pure private sector' and free from taxpayer subsidy, which in turn, increases scrutiny on the work of the NLFAB.