REPLACEMENT ANALYTICAL PROJECT
DESNZ · BEIS_0007_2021-Q3 · Last reported March 2025
Department page: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
| Data as at | Rating | End date | Whole-life cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Red (NISTA's independent assessment) | 10 July 2028 | £735m (price basis not stated) |
| March 2025 | Red (NISTA's independent assessment) | 30 October 2032 | £737.26m (price basis not stated) |
Each year’s cost is shown with its price basis. Costs are not compared between years: the March 2024 and March 2025 reports state no price basis, and from March 2026 costs are in 2024/25 prices.
The department’s commentary
This is the department’s own commentary. It may use different prices from the table above, so its figures may not match.
March 2025
Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at RED. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ On the 26th of February 2024, the Sellafield Ltd CEO made the decision to bring the Replacement Analytical Project (RAP) to a strategic pause. SL are reviewing the current and future analytical services requirements of the Sellafield site.
Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 10/07/2028 to 30/10/2032. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ As a result of the strategic decision to pause the project, a deferral has been implemented with the forecast project end date aligned to this. However, this is subject to a pending a decision on the final project close out.
Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) increased from 735 to 737. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The baseline was updated in line with 2024/25 indexation.
Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)
March 2024
Rating: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 remained at Red. This is primarily due to the following factors. The red IPA RAG rating was based upon the inability of the project to fall within the OBC cost and schedule range, and that the current range is assessed at a most likely outturn of 1,100-1,300m (FY22/23 mv) when compared to the OBC P50 of 680m.
Schedule: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 remained schedule to finish on 2028-07-10. This is primarily due to the following factors. There has been no movement to the projects end date.
Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 increased from 712m. to 735m. This is primarily due to the following factors. The RAP budgeted cost (baseline) has increased by 24m. This is due to escalation in line with the agreed indices.
Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)
Names, figures, dates, ratings and commentary are as the department reported them. Where a rating, cost or date is withheld, the file’s wording is shown. Every major project →