Our role

­The Environment Agency is the independent environmental regulator for the nuclear industry in England. We make sure that nuclear power stations meet high standards of environmental protection. Any company that wants to operate a nuclear power station must show that it can do the following safely and securely, whilst also protecting the environment: • build, commission, operate and decommission the power station • manage the radioactive waste it produces.­

­Our consultation In June 2022 NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited applied to us to change its existing radioactive substances environmental permit for Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station.  Pressurised water reactors at Hinkley Point C will use uranium fuel to create heat and generate electricity when operating. Once used within the reactor, nuclear fuel (radioactive waste) will be stored on-site before being sent off-site to a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). We issued the original radioactive substances environmental permit in 2013. In the original design radioactive waste was to be stored on-site in ‘wet storage’ – a method of submerging and storing in water.  The operator has now decided to change the technology by which it will store radioactive waste, from wet storage to ‘dry storage’. Dry storage will see radioactive waste stored in sealed containers within a facility before it is sent to the GDF. This means the operator now seeks to change its radioactive substances environmental permit to remove or amend specific conditions related to the previous wet storage technology that are no longer relevant. NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited is not seeking any changes to the site boundary, permitted activities or permit discharge limits. There is no change in the radiological impact to members of the public or environment resulting from discharges.  Separately, NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited will be seeking the necessary changes to its Development Consent Order (DCO) for Hinkley Point C in the autumn. Viewing the documents and making your comments We have launched a four-week public consultation where you will be able to view the application and send us your comments.This consultation is aimed at:members of the publicthe communities local to the site for which the permit has been appliedstatutory consulteesacademics with an interest in nuclear power, energy production or the environmentnon-governmental organisations (NGOs) Comments from any other interested parties are also welcome.All the documents are available to view and download online We have designed the online consultation to make it easy to submit responses to the questions. We would prefer you to comment online as this will help us to gather and summarise responses quickly and accurately. Please send us your comments on the application: Online consultation websiteEmail us Post to: Hinkley Point C Consultation, Environment Agency, Nuclear Regulation Group, Red Kite House, Howbery Park, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BD The consultation closes at 23.59 on Sunday 14 August 2022. Information about how and why we consult. Next steps After the consultation ends we’ll complete our determination, including carefully considering all comments made during consultation. We’ll publish our final decision in September 2022.­

­Read the whole story

t’s for Them

The ‘It’s for Them’ campaign aims to increase the awareness of the public, and people who manage grass cutting, of the benefits of mowing less. We have created a toolkit  44340 It_s for Them_Stakeholder Toolkit_English: 44340 It_s for Them_Stakeholder Toolkit_Welsh (1) Continue reading →

At the Paul Lewis Community Centre, St Athan

Starting with the School Choir, Stubbsy Disco, Plus acts Rock Choir, The Taylors and Finding Fiona

At the Paul Lewis Community Centre, St Athan.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) are hosting an informative networking event, which will provide the opportunity to meet and expand your network with other business owners and managers, in the historic and dynamic setting of Space2B coworking space in Cardiff!

During this event, businesses will:

• Have the opportunity to introduce themselves and their businesses to other attendees
• Network with other businesses more informally
• Hear about how FSB and Space2B are supporting small businesses
• Enjoy a brief tour of facilities at The Maltings

Visit the FSB website for further information on the event, and to book your space!

Swansea University are hosting exciting webinar events surrounding the topic of ‘Materials Innovation for Solar Energy & Net Zero Industry’, exploring a whole-system approach to materials, and how this is essential to reaching Net Zero.

This series of 30 minute webinars presents 3 examples from their research across the system: from the fundamentals of steel manufacture, to the development and use of new solar technologies, to planning for the end of their useful life.

Each webinar includes short presentations & an opportunity for questions.

For more information and how to register for the event, visit the Zoom invitation link.

Innovate UK is launching a brand new series of grants worth £30 million to back innovative UK businesses in fast starting innovation and boosting the UK economy.

Their new series of Fast Start: Innovation grants will give hundreds of UK small and micro-businesses the opportunity to grow and realise their ideas faster. These grants, of up to £50,000 each, will provide a fast way to boost cash flow, helping to propel those highly innovative ideas that have a clear route to commercialisation.

Grants will back innovations in one or more of the seven technology areas outlined in the government’s Innovation Strategy:

• Advanced materials and manufacturing
• Artificial intelligence, digital and advanced computing
• Bioinformatics and genomics
• Engineering biology
• Electronics, photonics and quantum
• Energy and environment technologies
• Robotics and smart machine.

Innovate UK will also ask businesses to consider how their innovation could be part of solving specific challenges of net zero and self-driven healthcare and wellbeing.

For further information on these innovation grants, visit the UK Research and Innovation website. 

FREE Summer of Fun ‘Haf o Hwyl’ sessions coming to St.Athan Council Hall! (behind the post office) Friday 19th August 2022
2.00-2.40pm – Baby Moo (suitable from birth to wobbly walkers)
3.00-3.40pm – Mixed Moo (suitable for wobbly walkers to 5 years old)
Although this session is aimed at toddlers, it is suitable from birth to 5 year olds. It is perfect for siblings or friends that have children of different ages.
Tuesday 13th September 2022
1.30-2.10pm – Baby Moo
2.30-3.10pm – Mixed Moo

Poster with full details Poster moo-music-vale1