Campaigners opposed to the construction of a sub-sea facility to store radioactive waste off the coast of Cumbria have raised concerns about its possible impact on windfarm and gas exploration schemes proposed in Manx waters.
Nuclear Waste Services, the body that manages the UK’s radioactive waste, is evaluating two remaining shortlisted sites, both in Cumbria.
One option being considered is to build it under the Irish Sea up to 22km out from Sellafield. This would bring it within six to eight miles of the Isle of Man’s own 22km (12 nautical mile) territorial limit.
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Marianne Birkby, of Radiation Free Lakeland, has contacted Osted, the company behind the Mooir Vannin windfarm scheme, and Marque Oil and Gas, a company which believes there is a ‘now or never’ opportunity to develop a gas field in Manx waters.
Ms Birkby believes either scheme could be impacted by, and have an impact on, any Geological Disposal Facility, should it go ahead.
She said: ‘The sub-sea Geological Disposal Facility for very hot nuclear wastes would have impacts on any infrastructure on and under the seabed and the outlying fracture zone for the deep excavations of a GDF would clearly impact fossil fuel reserves and renewables.
‘Criteria for a GDF is for it not to be situated in any area of future resource - clearly wind, oil and gas are resources that future generations may want to utilise. We are not sure how this would impact nearby resources of oil and gas but it all seems rather too close for comfort. ‘
A spokesperson for Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm said: ‘Ørsted is committed to ongoing consultation and co-operation with all developers in the marine environment in the UK and Isle of Man territorial seas.
‘We are aware that Nuclear Waste Services is aiming to create a Geological Disposal Facility , but its proposals are yet to be clearly defined.
‘Development of a GDF has been proposed in multiple forms since the 1970s, a site for it has not yet been agreed, and Nuclear Waste Services say that the process of agreeing a site could take up to 20 years.’
Mark Ibram, director of Marque Oil and Gas said: ‘We have been aware of the potential Copeland GDF for some years. We have not been privy to the results of the geophysical survey.
‘We understand that spent nuclear waste will generate residual heat, but experience in other areas (granite) suggests the thermal aureole (extent of heating) would not extend very far. We would be interested in any modelling but would not expect it to extend to our proposed exploration area to the west.
‘From a future field development point of view we are not anticipating any drilling, production facilities or pipelines coming into the Copeland area from our current prospect.
‘We do not currently have grounds to object to the proposed nuclear waste site.’