Operation of the Sellafield MOX plant is set to begin this month after Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace lost their legal bid to overturn British government approval for the installation.
The Court of Appeal yesterday rejected a challenge by the environmental groups that the Environment Secretary, Ms Margaret Beckett and the Health Secretary, Mr Alan Milburn, were bound to take into account £470 million sterling spent on constructing the plant and other costs when assessing the economic case for MOX.
No costs were awarded on the grounds of "very great and very exceptional" public interest.