BNFL has said in a statement that it does not have the power to decide on the closure of the plant. BNFL said that it would honour all its existing contracts, which extend to at least 2010. It also said that ownership of Sellafield was due to be transferred to the nuclear decommissioning authority in 2005. However, BNFL also said that any decision on Thorp would be subject to a process of public consultation involving all interested parties.
In the nine years of Thorp’s operation, the plant has produced 75t of plutonium and 3336t of uranium.
