Magnox Electric Ltd

Security and Safeguards

Magnox Electric Ltd's Policy states: ‘Magnox Electric Ltd believes that its effective management of nuclear security and safeguards issues at operational, regulatory and international level is central to business success.’

As a matter of policy, the company routinely complies with international recommendations and national regulations at all times. As a principal site operator, it is legally responsible for implementing a substantial proportion of the security guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as enacted under UK legislation – The Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003.

Security

In the changing world in which we live, security is rightly at the forefront of people’s minds, particularly when it comes to nuclear facilities. Across all the sites managed and operated by Magnox Electric Ltd, we provide an effective security service, ensuring all regulatory and corporate requirements are met in the most efficient manner and that the security of the sites and their assets is maintained.

We have complex security systems in the world for controlling access and detecting intruders; these systems are operated by security personnel, fully trained to national standards. At some of our sites units of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary provide an immediate armed response capability in the event of a terrorist incident.

Magnox Electric Ltd has built up a relationship of trust with the UK security regulator, the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS). The 2007 OCNS Annual Report concluded that the Director Civil Nuclear Security has “been satisfied with the standards, procedures and commitment with regard to security within the civil nuclear industry”.

Security Arrangements
The need for security has always been present at UK civil nuclear installations. However, the climate of recent years has seen a marked and deeply concerning change. Events such as the recent terrorist attacks have demanded that security arrangements undergo continuous, detailed  reviews.

We have complex security systems for controlling access and detecting intruders; these systems are operated by security personnel, fully trained to national standards. At some of our sites units of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary provide an immediate armed response capability in the event of a terrorist incident.

The UK Government Counter-Terrorist Response Levels system is adopted throughout the UK Civil Nuclear industry. The system ensures that consistent baseline security measures are applied at all sites and describes the incremental measures to be taken should the threat of terrorism increase or decline. The Response Level to be applied is in direct reaction to the perceived current threat level and is described in the following categories:

Normal
Routine protective security measures appropriate to the business concerned.

Heightened
Additional and sustainable protective security measures reflecting the broad nature of the threat combined
with specific business and geographical vulnerabilities and judgements on acceptable risk.

Exceptional
Maximum protective security measures to meet specific threats and to minimise vulnerability and risk.

Safeguards

We are obligated by European and National legislational to effectively manage the nuclear materials that we hold on our sites.

Nuclear materials accountancy systems are in place at sites to which manage the operating records on the quantities, category, form and composition of the nuclear material we use.