Radioactive incident monitoring
This series brings together all documents relating to radiological and nuclear incident monitoring.
Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the UK government developed a National Response Plan to ensure that any future similar emergency could be effectively managed. Under the plan the UK has a multi departmental and agency response approach. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is the lead government department for domestic and overseas nuclear response.
The RREMS (Radiological Response and Emergency Management System) application is a key response capability within our national response and over the years has developed – both as a multi response tool and as a platform for the effective coordination of emergency response for radiological events.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero manages RREMS on behalf of all government departments and agencies who would be involved in a radiological / nuclear incident. RREMS replaced RIMNET as the primary system in 2022, and RIMNET has subsequently been decommissioned.
RREMS has a network of fixed gamma dose rate monitoring sites across the UK, along with an additional mobile monitor network:
- the monitors automatically measure, analyse, and inform on background radiation levels 24 hours a day
- all measurement and reference data are stored in RREMS
- the system also provides an incident document management capability and a mapping capability, including the display of plume models
We publish a quarterly statistical summary of UK radiation measurement data.
Radiation Monitoring Network
The Radiation Monitoring Network is currently being upgraded, this includes retrofitting new communications equipment, replacing parts of the network and testing new types of monitors. These changes will result in increased resilience and reliability and ensure that the network remains fit for purpose in the future.
The work to complete this upgrade will take place in phases from January 2025 beginning with the oldest parts of the network. To ensure continuity of service, the rollout programme will seek to minimise system downtime and work will only be undertaken on one part of the network at a time to make sure that effective monitoring is in place at all times.
Documents
Updates to this page
Published 3 October 2013Last updated 4 February 2025 + show all updates
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Added information on the upgrade to the Radiation Monitoring Network.
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RIMNET has been replaced by the Radiological Response and Emergency Management System (RREMS).
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First published.