Dame Judith Hackitt has been appointed Acting Chair of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the UK’s independent nuclear safety and security regulator.
From 1 January 2024, it will assume responsibility for overseeing nuclear safety, security, safeguards, site health and safety and the safety of the transport of nuclear and radioactive materials at the 35 authorized nuclear sites in Great brittany The ONR will launch a recruitment campaign to select a permanent chair.
He succeeds Mark McAllister, who was recently appointed chairman of UK energy regulator Ofgem. McAllister has led the ONR since April 2019.
Hackitt said: “I am very pleased to be taking on the role of Acting Chair of the ONR at this important time both for the regulator itself and for the UK’s energy strategy.
“Nuclear power is part of the government’s strategy to meet our country’s energy needs and to keep pace, we need a strong and efficient regulatory regime that enables the industry and provides public assurance.”
Hackitt previously led the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) from 2007 to 2016. The government was commissioned by the Grenfell fire to investigate the industry’s approach to building safety. Your report, Building a safer futurepublished in May 2018, reported the content of the Building Safety Act 2022.
She was awarded a DBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honors list for services to engineering and health and safety.
DHackitt is also a non-executive director of HS2, a trustee of the Royal Academy of Engineering and chairman of engineering skills charity Enginuity.
ONR chief executive Mark Foy said: “Dame Judith’s strong regulatory record and considerable past experience provide a great opportunity to understand how we can further improve our work to protect society by ensuring safe nuclear operations”.
He is entitled to annual pay of £52,800, which reflects the equivalent of around 96 days of service a year.
