Local Authorities must plan for mitigating the consequences of a nuclear off-site emergency. Engagement has taken place between Cumberland Council's Joint Emergency Management and Resilience Team and Sellafield.
A copy of the Site Operator's Consequence's Report and the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone Determination report for Sellafield Ltd are available for the public to view:
This report includes the proposed distance of a Detailed Emergency Planning Zone and/or Outline Planning Zone, if required, around the Site plus appropriate information to enable the Local Authority to prepare an adequate Off-Site Emergency Plan, if required.
Map showing the Sellafield Ltd Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (ranging from 6.1km-8km from the centre of site):
To ensure that arrangements are in place to deal with the off-site consequences of an incident, however unlikely, Cumberland Council produce an off-site emergency plan. This is a requirement under the Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulation 2019 - known as REPPIR.
All persons and organisations within the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ) have been issued with information on what to do in the event of an Off-Site Nuclear Emergency. (Refer to Sellafield Site: Warning and Informing Information and Telephone Warning System).
Outline Planning Zone
The Outline Planning Zone is a new factor under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 and additional elements have been considered in order to improve emergency arrangements. This does not mean that there is now extra risk to the public.
Map showing Sellafield Ltd Outline Planning Zone (50km from the centre of site):
Note: Lancashire County Council has responsibility under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 for Heysham Power Station. The Outline Planning Zone for this nuclear site is 30km, this means that part of the zone will sit within the Southern part of Cumbria.
Further information and relevant maps.
If you have any questions in relation to the Consequence Reports, planning zones or other associated matters, then please do not hesitate to contact the Joint Emergency Management and Resilience Team at emergency.planning@cumbria.gov.uk
To ensure that arrangements are in place to deal with the off-site consequences of an incident at the Sellafield site however unlikely, Cumberland Council produce an off-site emergency plan. This is a requirement under the Control of Major Accident Hazards 2015 (as amended) - known as COMAH.
All persons and organisations within the Inner Emergency Planning Zone (IEPZ) (a distance of 2km from the centre of site) around the site have been issued with information on what to do in the event of an off-site emergency. (Refer to Sellafield Site: Warning and Informing Information and Telephone Warning System).
Warning and Informing information:
Booklet for persons and organisations within the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ)
Action Cards for persons and organisations within the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ):
- Sellafield - Emergency Action Card (PDF 231KB)
- Sellafield - Business Emergency Action Card (PDF 242KB)
- Sellafield - Care Home Emergency Action Card (PDF 231KB)
- Sellafield - Transient Emergency Action Card (PDF 231KB)
- Sellafield - Schools Emergency Action Card (PDF 229KB)
- Sellafield - Caravan and Camping Emergency Action Card (PDF 230KB)
Action Card for persons and organisation within the Inner Emergency Planning Zone (IEPZ):
Information cards for persons and organisations within the Outline Planning Zone (OPZ)
Public Telephone Warning System:
Sign up for Sellafield's public telephone warning system.
Cumberland Council encourages people living near Sellafield to sign up for a FREE automated telephone warning system. The system provides a warning in the highly unlikely event of an emergency at the Sellafield site and people can register at Telephone Warning System Registration
People living in the following villages are eligible:
- Calder Bridge
- Haile
- Ponsonby
- Wellington
- Gosforth
- Drigg
- Holmrook
- Seascale
- Braystones
- Nethertown
- Middletown
- Thornhill
- Beckermet
If you live in the CA postcodes 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 you may also be eligible for this free and valuable service. In addition you can receive updates via text messages, e-mail and mobile calls on exercises that take place.
The call from the council follows work undertaken by the Office for Nuclear Regulation in January 2014 when they reviewed their process for revising the Detailed Emergency Planning Zones around UK civil nuclear establishments. This revision came from lessons learnt from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incident in 2011 and has had a considerable impact in how Cumberland Council, Sellafield Ltd and the emergency services plan for an incident on the west coast.
The size of the emergency planning area differs site by site in the UK, with consideration given to individual factors associated with each site. The Detailed Emergency Planning Zone for Sellafield covers an area ranging from approximately 6.1km - 8km from the centre of the site.
If you do not have access to the internet you may wish to ask a friend or neighbour to assist or you in signing up for the service.
If you wish to enquire if you are eligible to sign up for the Sellafield Warning and Informing Service or have any other queries please contact: emergency.planning@cumbria.gov.uk
Sellafield Exercises (Site siren may be sounded on these dates):
- 4 June 2024
- 12 November 2024
Under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 Local Authorities must plan for mitigating the consequences of a nuclear off-site emergency. Engagement has taken place between the Joint Emergency Management and Resilience Team and the following operators in Cumbria:
- Low Level Waste Repository Ltd
- Cyclife UK Ltd
The Site Operators' Consequences' Report for Low Level Waste Repository Ltd has been assessed and it has been determined that there is no requirement for emergency planning zones for this company.
After Cyclife UK Ltd undertook a hazard assessment it was established that there was no public risk and therefore no requirement for a Consequences' Report or emergency planning zones.
To ensure that arrangements are in place to deal with the off-site consequences of an incident, however unlikely, Cumberland Council produce an off-site emergency plan. This is a requirement under the Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulation 2019 - known as REPPIR.
Note: Lancashire County Council has responsibility under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 for Heysham Power Station. The Outline Planning Zone for this nuclear site is 30km, this means that part of the zone will sit within the Southern part of Cumbria. Further information and relevant maps.
If you have any questions in relation to the Consequence Reports, planning zones or other associated matters, then please do not hesitate to contact the Joint Emergency Management and Resilience Team at emergency.planning@cumbria.gov.uk
To ensure that arrangements are in place to deal with the off-site consequences of an incident, however unlikely, Cumberland Council produces off-site emergency plans for the following sites in Cumbria:
- MOD Longtown
- Vertellus
This is a requirement under the Control of Major Accident Hazards 2015 (as amended) - known as COMAH.
All persons and organisations within the Public Information Zone (PIZ) or Hazard Area around the sites have been issued with information on what to do in the event of an off-site emergency.
Booklets for persons and organisations within the Public Information Zone (PIZ) or Hazard Area:
Documents on this website
If you need documents that appear on this web page in another format - CD, audio cassette, Braille, large type or in another language, please telephone 01768 812500.