THE public is soon to be given the chance to comment on an environmental statement published to support the decommissioning of Hinkley Point A Power Station.

It is the first such statement in the country as Britain begins the nuclear power station decommissioning process.

The statement has been submitted to the Health and Safety Executive which will begin the consultation process involving a number of organisations and interested parties towards the end of the month.

Copies for inspection by the public will be made available from January 21 at various locations including Stogursey Post Office, Nether Stowey Library and St Mary's Church, Cannington.

The statement is several hundred pages long and is made up of four documents – a non-technical summary, an environmental statement, a technical appendix and a book of drawings.

And from January 23 the non-technical summary will be made available on the BNFL website at http://www.bnfl.com">www.bnfl.com

Station manager Joe Lamonby said: "Beginning defuelling was a major milestone for the station and publishing the environmental statement is the next major step forward in the decommissioning process."

Magnox Electric prepared the environmental statement, which covers the company's proposals for the ultimate total clearance of the site and landscaping.

The project includes, in the early phase, the removal of most of the buildings, storage of intermediate level waste in a new, purpose-built store until it can be safely removed, and alterations to the existing reactor buildings until they are finally removed.

The statement also looks at anticipated traffic flows and the impact on the local economy.

Hinkley Point spokesman Tim Jones said: "Consent to decommission is expected to be given within 12 months. Throughout the whole process, safety to the public, workforce and protection of the environment will remain the top priority.

"The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Environment Agency will oversee the decommissioning process."

A decision was made on business grounds in May 2000 to close Hinkley Point A ahead of its planned shutdown date.

Since then, some preparatory work has been going on for its decommissioning, defuelling the reactors and removing the fuel from site.

Defuelling started in December and is expected to take up to four years to complete. Around 99 per cent of the radioactivity will disappear once all the fuel has been removed.