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United Kingdom
United Kingdom
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Nuclear Site Licence meaning
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What does Nuclear Site Licence mean?
In legal practice, a nuclear site licence is the regulatory authorisation needed to construct, operate and decommission a civil nuclear installation at a specified site. In Great Britain (England & Wales and Scotland) it is a statutory licence granted by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. The licence is site‑specific, held by a corporate body, non‑transferable, and endures through the facility’s lifecycle until ONR agrees to delicensing following decommissioning and clean‑up. ONR attaches standard site licence conditions and may vary them; compliance is overseen through ONR consents, approvals, directions and enforcement. A nuclear site licence is distinct from, and additional to, planning and environmental permitting.
The term aligns with statute in Great Britain and is used across nuclear regulatory, projects, real estate and M&A contexts (for example, corporate reorganisations, asset sales and organisational change typically require ONR engagement). Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales and Scotland.
Northern Ireland is not within the ONR nuclear site licensing regime and has no licensed civil nuclear sites. Ireland has no equivalent nuclear site licensing regime; construction of nuclear generating stations is prohibited by statute and radiological activities are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
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View the related Practice Notes about Nuclear Site Licence
PRACTICE NOTES
UK Nuclear Site Licence Regime: Requirements, Standard Conditions, ONR Oversight, Duties, Enforcement, Decommissioning, and Corporate and Property Transfers
What is the requirement for a nuclear site licence? A nuclear site licence is mandated by the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NuIA 1965) for the use of any site to install or run: a nuclear reactor (excluding one forming part of a means of transport by land, water or air, such as a nuclear-powered submarine) a nuclear installation intended or modified to: produce or use atomic energy perform a process, capable of emitting ionising radiation, connected to the production or use of atomic energy store, treat or dispose of nuclear fuel, or bulk quantities of material irradiated by the production or use of nuclear fuel a nuclear installation specified by the Nuclear Installations Regulations 1971 (SI 1971/381), for example an installation intended or modified to carry out processes using enriched uranium and the production of isotopes and nuclear fuel elements The Energy Act 2023 (EnA 2023) amended section 1...
22 May
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PRACTICE NOTES
Planning and consenting regime for nuclear fission and fusion projects in England and Wales: NPS EN‑7/EN‑1, NSIP/DCO, SMRs, GDA, EIA, associated development, judicial review, Brexit/Euratom
This Practice Note centres on the planning regime for new nuclear build facilities. It outlines the policy foundations for consenting new nuclear plants, the routes for appeal and judicial review, and the effects of the UK’s departure from the EU on nuclear planning. For general information on nuclear licensing and regulation, see: Nuclear licensing and regulation—overview. Further consents, including licensing from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), are covered in Practice Note: Operating under a nuclear site licence. Planning policy Energy National Policy Statements The government’s policy on major infrastructure is expressed through National Policy Statements (NPSs), which are statutory documents made under the Planning Act 2008 (PA 2008). NPSs guide the Secretary of State when determining development consent applications for energy infrastructure of national significance. Between late 2009 and early 2010, the government issued six draft NPSs for consultation. These included: an Overarching National Policy Statement for energy NPS (EN-1) (updated in 2025 and in force from 6 January 2026), and ...
27 May
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