The Brexit question was posed as a simple Yes/No choice to the electorate. Nobody (least of all Leave) expected the electorate to reject EU membership and there were no plans worthy of the name as to what would happen in the event of the decision that went against the odds (indeed, despite his recent protestations, it is highly unlikely that Cameron would have taken the risk of the referendum if he seriously considered a Leave vote as a live possibility).
Now that the UK has started the process of leaving the EU, the full likely and potential ramifications of the decision are beginning to crystalize. Equally, the weakness of the UK’s position and the fact that the EU will set the agenda for divorce talks and any putative transition or post-EU trade agreement are now very apparent.
One area that has emerged as a potential problem, post Brexit, is the operation of the UK’s nuclear power generation facilities which are regulated by Euratom, a European body that the UK will be withdrawing from. With no competent national authority, who will issue operating licences and conduct safety inspections? Whilst the IAEA safeguard program might be of help with international treaty organisations relating to fissile material enrichment, it has no mandate to certify commercial power plants – even if the UK accepted its authority.
A further problem has come to light suggesting that the UK may longer be able to obtain electrical energy from the bloc under its internal energy market. The European Parliament rejected Mrs May’s call for a sector by sector bespoke deal with the EU for continued access to key (from Britain’s perspective) sectors of the Single Market. It is possible that this set-back could have a direct effect on the construction of two new nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The facility is expected to provide 7% of all UK energy needs when completed. The new plant is to be constructed by French company EDF and they have also raised concerns about securing enough skilled construction workers if the UK leaves the EU and puts up immigration restrictions.