Moorside meaning

In UK energy and projects practice, Moorside refers to the proposed nuclear new build site adjacent to Sellafield in West Cumbria and the former nugen project. It is a descriptive industry term (not defined in legislation or case law) used in transaction documents, regulatory advice and project development materials. NuGen, then owned by Toshiba (following Engie’s exit), planned three Westinghouse ap1000 reactors at Moorside. After Westinghouse’s insolvency, Toshiba named kepco as preferred bidder to acquire NuGen in 2017; the sale did not complete and Toshiba wound up NuGen in 2018, halting the project. The site area forms part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority/Sellafield estate. Any renewed Moorside scheme would be a nationally significant infrastructure project requiring a Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008 (England and Wales), a nuclear site licence under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, and associated environmental permits, alongside grid and land rights arrangements. The term is commonly encountered in due diligence, M&A (nuclear supply chain), planning and consenting strategy, and government policy work (including Great British Nuclear and nuclear new build/SMR programmes). Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, though the DCO regime applies only in England (and to a limited...