“We are unique police force, delivering upon an absolutely vital mission,” Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary published its Annual Business Plan for 2026/27 on 7 April. The plan sets out continued armed protection of civil nuclear sites and expanded services for other critical infrastructure. (gov.uk)

For northern communities, the announcement lands where it matters: at Easington on the Holderness coast, and at the long‑standing CNC strongholds of Heysham, Hartlepool and Sellafield. The plan sits alongside the Civil Nuclear Police Authority’s three‑year strategy, now entering its final year. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

Four non‑nuclear energy facilities are now at full operating capability under CNC leadership - St Fergus and Garlogie in Aberdeenshire, Easington in East Yorkshire and Bacton in Norfolk - following the transfer of more than 100 Ministry of Defence Police officers on 1 April 2025. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

The locations are not accidental. Easington is one of Britain’s main gas terminals and the landfall for Norway’s Langeled pipeline, with links to the Rough gas storage site. St Fergus receives around a quarter of the UK’s gas, while Bacton is a key gateway moving gas both to and from continental Europe. (en.wikipedia.org)

The force stresses its national contribution too. At 31 March 2025, the CNC employed more than 1,600 officers and staff across 10 sites, and provides around 60–64% of the UK’s armed policing surge capability. A Home Office vessel‑protection pilot saw CNC officers deployed on cross‑Channel ferries in 2024. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

That wider remit rests on new powers. The Energy Act 2023 amended the Energy Act 2004 to insert section 55A, allowing additional CNC policing at designated non‑nuclear sites, and section 55B, enabling assistance to other forces. Ministers confirmed the first designations took effect on 1 April 2025. (legislation.gov.uk)

On the Cumbrian coast, the stakes are economic as well as strategic. Sellafield averaged 11,653 employees in 2024/25, with the site’s security a constant backdrop to a supply chain that stretches from West Cumbria to Warrington. The CNC’s footprint at Sellafield, Heysham and Hartlepool anchors that stability. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

The business plan lands amid national police reform. The Home Office has moved to tighten vetting and accelerate dismissals for gross misconduct, while the Crime and Policing Bill continues its passage. CNC leaders say the plan gives equal weight to culture and professional standards alongside operations. (gov.uk)

For residents and businesses near Easington, the Lancashire coast and West Cumbria, the headline is continuity with added capacity. The CNC says an efficiency programme will deliver better value for customers as officers remain ready to support other forces when national demand spikes. (gov.uk)

The Annual Business Plan 2026/27 was published on 7 April 2026 and is available to download via GOV.UK and the CNC website. (gov.uk)