NUCLEAR bosses in Oldbury have said the site’s focus is now turning to decommissioning.

Despite extending the nuclear power station’s operations until next year those in charge have confirmed that there are no intentions to generate power beyond the current deadline.

Joe Lamonby, site director at Oldbury, said at the latest Oldbury Site Stakeholder Group (SSG) meeting that his team were now focusing their attention on de-fuelling and decommissioning.

He said: "We are working with the National Decommissioning Authority (NDA) on some options for post generation.

"Oldbury is a valuable national asset and we are always looking at feasibility studies but the end date for the safety case is June 2011. To go beyond this would demand a lot of us and we have no plans to.

"What we are doing is making the most of the fuel we have and practicably speaking that will last for another year.

"We did really well to extend the closure date from 2008 to 2011 and we are happy with that achievement."

Oldbury Power Station is due to stop generating electricity completely by June 2011 though Reactor 2 could stop as early as March this year.

Vic Hole, manager of the decommissioning strategy at Oldbury, said: "We do have a team of people who are focused on decommissioning looking at how we are going to do it, the cost and the hazards, with the support of the NDA.

"Decommissioning won’t start until we have de-fuelled and that is not scheduled to finish until 2014.

"We have concerns that funding is going to be an issue but we are looking at ways that we can achieve best value for the tax payer."

Members of the Oldbury SSG have also decided to re-look at the End State planned for the site, which is how the land will be left in 100 years after decommissioning.

The End State for Oldbury was decided three years ago after consultation with local people who agreed the 51 hectares should be returned to recreational, nature conservation and agricultural use.

Mike Hawkins, chairman of Aust Parish Council and a member of the Oldbury SSG, said: "At the time of the original consultation we were distracted by the possibility of a new build.

"Now that situation has become a little bit clearer, but not completely, I think we should look at it again."