Paul Woolham

Paul Woolham

Key Associate

Dr. Woollam has a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the technical and strategic aspects of nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management. He was formerly Chief Decommissioning Strategist with Magnox Electric plc, the Company that managed the UK’s 26 Magnox reactors. In this role, he developed UK decommissioning strategy, carried out independent peer reviews of many major UK waste and decommissioning issues, was the Company’s Chief Witness at the Trawsfynydd Public Inquiry into decommissioning, and managed Europe’s first reactor decommissioning Environmental Impact Assessment.

During his career, Dr. Woollam gained international experience working with other countries that have requirements to decommission gas-cooled reactors. He spent five years working with Public Service Company, Colorado as a member of the Fort St Vrain Oversight Committee. He has reviewed decommissioning plans for the Brookhaven Gas Graphite Reactor on behalf of the US Department of Energy; peer reviewed EdF’s reactor decommissioning strategies, and looked at proposals for decommissioning Spain’s Magnox reactor – Vandellós 1 – managing a collaborative programme between ENRESA and Magnox Electric.

Dr. Woollam provided extensive support to OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in the production of Nuclear Energy Outlook 2008, the nuclear energy section of Energy Technology Perspectives 2008, and other documents. He chaired the OECD/NEA Expert Group on Decommissioning Policies, Strategies and Costs and has been a member of both the American Nuclear Society’s and EPRI’s Decommissioning Executives. He has presented evidence to US Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearings on decommissioning rule-making and worked with both the IAEA and the European Union on decommissioning matters.

Dr. Woollam has been a member of Magnox Electric’s Nuclear Safety Committees for many years. This body is the senior group within Magnox Electric, constituted under the Nuclear Installations Act, which endorses the continued operation of the Magnox sites. He is also a member of the Magnox South Ltd Nuclear and Environment Safety Council.