Industry Link – Spring 2022

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE UK NUCLEAR INDUSTRY

SPRING / 2022

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Changing the way we finance new nuclear

Supporting a clean future for our gas networks

High precision delivery of most powerful steam turbine

COVID-19: From resilience to risk management

James Fisher Nuclear

WELCOME TO

Welcome to the first Industry Link of 2022! And already it’s been quite the start, topped off by the Prime Minister hosting a roundtable of industry members at Number 10. Nothing quite beats a Downing Street photo op after all. More importantly though, it signalled just how serious the government is in supercharging new nuclear.

There exists real ambition in the corridors of power for a nuclear renaissance and the decisions taken in the next twelve months could shape the industry for decades to come.

There remains one big challenge: financing. The NIA’s Tom Greatrex explains how the new nuclear funding model—the RAB—works and gives his take on what steps need to be taken to ensure the capital is unlocked to get projects off the ground.

As we herald a new nuclear dawn we must also bid farewell to a low-carbon stalwart. Paul Forrest, Hunterston B’s Station Director, looks back at Scotland’s most productive clean energy asset after its retirement in January.

Elsewhere the NNL’s Dr Philip Rogers looks at nuclear’s role in hydrogen production, Osprey’s Helen Batt walks us through the delivery to Hinkley Point C of the world’s most powerful steam turbine and Deborah Ward introduces us to the newly launched Nuclear Waste Services. Look out too for Jeremy Gordon’s brilliant write up of the NIA’s Nuclear 2021 event.

Last, but certainly not least, Keith Parker, the NIA’s former Chief Executive looks back at the career of someone the industry will sorely miss.

Keith knew Veronica Lekavicius, or V as she is known, better than most and her retirement will be felt by us all.

Iolo James Media & Communications Manager, Editor

IN THIS ISSUE•••

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NEWS FROM THE HUB. PAGE 12

Global collaboration for a global challenge PAGE 4

SECURING A SAFER FUTURE FOR US ALL

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UK NEEDS NUCLEAR Editor - Iolo James Art Editor - Dan Powney

A FOND FAREWELL TO V

Press & Advertisement Enquiries - press@niauk.org Membership Enquiries - membership@niauk.org Contributors - Lincoln Hill • Tom Greatrex • Stephanie McKenna • Keith Parker • Deborah Ward, Nuclear Waste Services • Miranda Kirschel, Circular1 Health • Tim Dowling, Tradebe Inutec • F.M.D. Boydon and S.M. Hewish, TÜV UK Ltd • S.P. Lawler, Frazer Nash Consultancy Ltd • Anne Arnold, National Nuclear Laboratory • Jeremy Gordon, Fluent In Energy • Paul Forrest, EDF • Dr Philip Rogers, National Nuclear Laboratory • Helen Batt, Osprey Ltd • with additional thanks to World Nuclear News Nuclear Industry Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2804518 Registered Office - 5th Floor, Tower House, 10 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7HA TEL +44(0)20 7766 6640 EMAIL info@niauk.org Cover image - Courtesy of EDF www.edfenergy.com This magazine is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, using vegetable based inks.

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Tradebe Inutec unveils nuclear waste treatment facility

TOM GREATREX • CHIEF EXECUTIVE • NIA

Changing the way we finance new nuclear

J

anuary 10 was a significant day for the development of new nuclear capacity in the UK. At just after 8pm MPs in the Commons voted, with cross party support, to back legislation that introduces a new model for financing new power stations. The Bill now goes to the House of Lords for further scrutiny, but looks very likely to be passed into law later in the Spring.

The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) which the Nuclear Financing Bill puts into place, will save consumers billions on their bills by cutting the cost of funding projects, while also helping deliver a large chunk of the clean power needed to meet net zero. The RAB works by issuing a small surcharge on consumers’ bills which will be used to release revenue during construction—thus reducing the cost of capital, increasing the pool of investors, and delivering power at a lower overall cost.

The Government’s assessment is that the RAB will save around £30 billion over the lifetime of each nuclear project. The NIA warmly welcomed the Bill’s announcement back in October. “Consumers will save money, businesses will get more predictable electricity costs, and the UK will save carbon,” I wrote, noting

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industry’s hope that the legislation would proceed swiftly.

Indeed, it did. And that’s a good thing, as investment is urgently needed. For too long we have seen potential international backers fall by the wayside, and with it the hopes of much needed projects disappear.

Against the backdrop of rocketing energy bills due, in significant part, to the impact of highly volatile gas prices on the cost of generating power, we cannot afford to stall further.

The only way we bring energy bills down is to wean ourselves off gas and that calls for a commitment to a decade of delivery. That means more nuclear, more wind and more solar power. The renewable sector has benefited from repeat build, resulting in cost reductions, but intermittency and variable output remain a reality. Nuclear, required to complement the fluctuating output of wind and solar, is on the cusp of being able to similarly realise the benefits of repeat build. The progress of this Bill is an integral part of that tantalising prospect.

Assuming that the Bill progresses through the Lords and receives Royal Assent in the next few weeks, Sizewell C will most likely be the first project to benefit—while it will be identical from the ground up

“Legislating for a new financing model was a key industry ask in 2021, so it is encouraging to see the ball is well and truly rolling.”

to Hinkley Point C, being financed in a new way will reduce the cost to build it, the cost of the power it produces and the cost to the consumer, while helping prevent a repeat of the current situation where we are effectively held hostage by the volatility of internationally traded gas prices. But it is about more than Sizewell—future projects, needed to reach net zero and energy security, large and smaller, could also use the same model. Wylfa, SMR and future technologies could all have their deployment facilitated through a RAB approach to financing projects.

For all the advantages of a RAB model, it is not a silver bullet and there remains plenty of work to do when it comes to affordable finance.

How we make nuclear an attractive proposition to investors is one such challenge. The point was made by one investor at the Nuclear 2021 conference that financiers “want a simple, straightforward, story.” The more we can do to communicate nuclear’s green credentials, the better the outcome for its overall narrative.

That should help with sustainable taxonomies, and is why the NIA continues to be involved in discussions on the forthcoming UK Taxonomy.

The important thing is that we build enough low-carbon infrastructure

to ensure we meet the UK’s very ambitious climate targets. Nothing has focused the mind more than the current energy crisis, which has placed our energy security firmly back on the agenda, and in a big way too.

Our reliance on gas to power the grid is pinching our pockets, and as more nuclear stations come offline in the coming years, the squeeze will only intensify. After all, only nuclear can replace gas as an always-on power source. If we don’t build a fleet of SMR alongside larger power stations then the knock-on effect on jobs, skills and emissions is likely to be felt for generations.

Legislating for a new financing model was a key industry ask in 2021, so it is encouraging to see the ball is well and truly rolling. It paves the way for Sizewell C to reach Final Investment Decision (FID) next year, the policy, siting and regulatory framework for the deployment of a fleet of SMRs to be set, and of course another large-scale project to reach FID in 2024.

This all fits in to the wider question of how net zero will be paid for, but one thing is for sure, cracking the nuclear finance nut will be a very good thing for energy security, for the planet and for reducing the cost of how much consumers pay for power.

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DEBORAH WARD • MEDIA MANAGER • NUCLEAR WASTE SERVICES

Securing a safer future for us all N

WS parent organisation, the NDA, has brought together the expertise from two of its existing businesses, Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) and Radioactive Waste Management (RWM), who together will deliver an integrated programme for nuclear waste. This is part of the group’s mission as it continues with the biggest clean-up project in Europe, that will stretch into the next century.

LLWR has been responsible for managing the UK repository in Cumbria and RWM for developing a Geological Disposal Facility where the higheractivity radioactive waste will be disposed of.

Waste, and how it’s managed, has increasingly becoming a focal point of the NDA’s work, as sites move away from operations to full-scale decommissioning and environmental remediation.

The NDA’s integrated waste management (IWM) programme was established in 2020 to develop more flexible approaches to radioactive waste, from treatment, through to packaging and disposal. By operating in a more collaborative and integrated manner across the waste lifecycle, we’ll bring technological benefits and huge savings through things like avoiding the need to construct new waste treatment and storage facilities. This will enable the NDA group’s 17 sites to be made safer sooner and demonstrate greater value for UK taxpayers.

NWS Chief Executive Corhyn Parr said: “For me, NWS is about building on the collaboration we already have within the NDA group and making it stronger, making it deeper. Even while we wait for the next policy steps from BEIS, the future is likely to be more flexible when it comes to managing radioactive waste—and setting up NWS allows us to take advantage of that. It means we can treat the waste in the right way—and at the right cost for the taxpayer. And we can offer customers a better service too.

“The UK has been producing radioactive waste on an industrial scale since the 1940s and we’re now aiming to recycle 50% of waste from decommissioning and reduce secondary wastes by around 70% by 2030. This ambition needs us to work even more closely together, and that’s what NWS has been established to achieve.”

“As we continue to dismantle and clean up our sites, there remains more than 4 million cubic metres of waste still to recover and treat

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before we complete the UK’s decommissioning programme. Most of this is low level waste, demolition rubble, clothing, tools, for example, and we’ve already made huge progress over the last decade or so, particularly in reversing the approach of simply sending it to the LLW repository. Where we once diverted only 5% to more sustainable and environmentally acceptable waste routes, that figure is now 98%—only 2% goes into the repository.

“That’s saved £700 million through treatments such as metals recycling after decontamination or smelting, thermal treatment, super-compaction— it’s also more environmentally acceptable. We have also avoided the requirement to construct a new repository, which was estimated to cost around £2 billion.

“Waste isn’t just generated by the NDA group, although we are responsible for around 90% of it.

Industry, research, medicine and other sectors all produce radioactive waste. We serve customers across all these sectors with the aim of enhancing the services available to waste producers with more efficiency, greater speed and at lower costs.”

NWS is chaired by Adrienne Kelbie, the former Chief Executive of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), who added: “I am honoured and excited to be helping ensure that the nation’s nuclear waste is disposed of safely, cost-effectively and as soon as possible. I look forward to supporting the NWS team to excel as they develop the new organisation to achieve this mission.

“We have a talented and motivated team with a shared commitment to the highest standards in managing nuclear waste. Working together, I am confident that we will unlock the immense power of our combined specialist parts, transforming our organisation into a truly global example.

“Strong, clear governance plays a vital role in supporting our combined workforce as we move forward through a period of change, with people at the heart of our agenda.

“I am delighted to be involved in helping to nurture constructive relationships, both internally and among the wider stakeholder community, growing our capability and confidence not just for the short term but over the longer term as well, working across the NDA group within the framework of the Integrated Waste Management Programme.”

IOLO JAMES • MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER • NIA

Media Watch At the close of 2021, with COP26 and the energy crisis still in the headlines, the NIA’s Chief Executive, Tom Greatrex, was interviewed by CNN for a special report on the state of nuclear power in Europe. “The best thing we can do” he said, “is to make sure we are less reliant on fossil fuels for our energy needs, and the way we do that is a mixture of technologies, of which nuclear is one.” The TV report compared the situation in the UK with that in Germany, a country which is phasing out nuclear, and made the point that its decision to do so meant it was relying heavily on gas and coal to fill the gaps in power generation.

Corhyn Parr, NWS Chief Executive

Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) specialises in managing radioactive waste and disposing of it. The goal is to ensure that waste is managed in a way that protects people and the environment, now and in the future. All companies have to operate safely—NWS is about safety.

Perhaps the most significant recent media story was Hunterston B coming offline in January. Hunterston’s end of generation was covered on the wires by PA and Reuters, and broadcast by the BBC, STV, and Sky News. Tom Greatrex paid tribute to the dedicated staff who helped keep Scottish homes warm and light for 46 years and to the station itself, which represents the best of what nuclear can provide for Scotland. His comment was picked up the Guardian, Bloomberg, the BBC, The Scotsman, MailOnline. The Herald and Daily Express used additional analysis the NIA did on the consumer savings generated by Hunterston B.

To continue with the Scottish theme, The Herald, featured the NIA’s media release which analysed the grid balancing costs for 2021. The cost rose by 48% year-on-year to £2.65 billion, making it the most expensive year on record. The Herald combined the story with the increase in energy bills and was featured on its front page as its lead story. The NIA pointed out that Scotland’s nuclear stations have been the cheapest, most reliable source of clean electricity throughout the energy crisis, producing power at £45/MWh. Hunterston B has saved Scottish consumers £360 million since the energy crisis began, equivalent to £152 for every household in Scotland.

Nuclear Fusion made headlines the world over in February when researchers and scientists working on the JET reactor in Culham broke the world record for the amount of energy it produced. A ‘major breakthrough’ in fusion, the story was sent out as a breaking news alert by the likes of the Guardian and BBC, which conveyed its enormity. It was featured on the BBC News at Six and Ten too. Dr Joe Milnes, the head of operations at the reactor lab said "We've demonstrated that we can create a mini star inside of our machine and hold it there for five seconds and get high performance, which really takes us into a new realm."

One of the industry’s most esteemed experts, the supreme Dame Sue Ion, took part in a lively debate on nuclear, energy security and net zero on BBC Woman’s Hour in March. Going up against the Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is never an easy task, but Sue gave an impressive media performance, holding her own and clearly impressing presenter Emma Barnett with her informed and measured responses. Nuclear engineers do know more about nuclear than MPs after all!

Adrienne Kelbie, NW Chair

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At the time of going to print and with the changing situation it was decided not to include any Ukraine stories in this column. For more information on Ukraine, plus full versions and more details on these and other stories visit www.world-nuclear-news.org.

Karachi 3 begins supplying electricity

Unit 3 of the Karachi nuclear power plant in Pakistan has been connected to the electricity grid, becoming the fourth Hualong One reactor in the world—and the second outside China—to reach that milestone.

CNNC said each unit of Hualong One is expected to generate nearly 10 billion kWh of electricity annually, which can meet the annual electricity demand of more than 4 million households in Pakistan.

It would be equivalent to reducing coal use by 3.12 million tonnes annually, avoiding 8.16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

Philippines relaunches nuclear programme

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order that outlines the government's position for the inclusion of nuclear energy in the Philippines' energy mix, taking into account economic, political, social and environmental objectives.

The executive order also calls for further studies and recommendations

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on the use and viability of the Bataan nuclear power plant and the establishment of other facilities for the utilisation of nuclear energy.

In response to the 1973 oil crisis, the Philippines decided to build the two-unit Bataan plant. However, due to financial issues and safety concerns related to earthquakes, the plant was never loaded with fuel or operated.

The plant has since been maintained.

USNC eyes summer start-up for Oak Ridge

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) plans to begin operations later this year at its Pilot Fuel Manufacturing (PFM) facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, subject to regulatory approvals.

The facility will process feedstock uranium powder into TRISO fuel particles and subsequently produce the company's proprietary Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated (FCM) fuel in multiple kilogram quantities.

It will be used in USNC's Micro Modular Reactor (MMR), a 15 MW thermal, 5 MW electrical hightemperature gas-cooled reactor.

The PFM will codify and demonstrate its manufacturing modules to be deployed into new production facilities to meet the demand for fuelling MMR

and other advanced terrestrial and space energy systems

Nuclear techniques confirm crocodile was dinosaur eater

Studies at Australian nuclear science and technology organisation ANSTO have confirmed that a crocodile that lived some 93 million years ago in what is now Central Queensland ate dinosaurs. Neutron and synchrotron instruments were used to reveal and reconstruct the crocodile's fossilised stomach contents.

Early neutron imaging detected bones of the small chicken-sized juvenile dinosaur in the gut. ANSTO Senior Instrument Scientist Joseph Bevitt said the dinosaur bones were entirely embedded within the dense ironstone rock and were discovered serendipitously using the Dingo thermal neutron radiography/tomography/imaging station at the OPAL research reactor.

It is believed to be the first time a synchrotron beamline has been used in this way. The full intensity of the synchrotron X-ray beam was used to achieve the results on dense rock, and new software mechanisms were developed to reconstruct a digital 3D version of the crocodile.

KEITH PARKER • FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE NIA

A fond farewell to V

V

eronica Lekavicius—or V as she is widely known—retired at the end of last year after sixteen years with NIA. But that long career was by no means her first involvement with the nuclear association. I first met V when I joined the British Nuclear Industry Forum (BNIF), the predecessor to NIA, at the end of 1996. Like many people starting new jobs, I was slightly apprehensive, but what I remember was the genuine warmth of the welcome I received, not least from V who introduced me to the staff, explained the structure and operation of the organisation and straight away put me at my ease.

V was at that time the Personal Assistant to Roger Hayes, the Director General of BNIF, who appointed her, according to a colleague at BNIF Nigel Middlemiss, to manage some of the “flibbertigibbets” (Roger’s word) at the Forum. Roger said she would be someone like his mother: stern, forceful and nononsense. In fact, V turned out to be infinitely more human, approachable, humorous and a much better colleague to all who worked with her than Roger’s forbidding description had foreshadowed.

V was very loyal to Roger, and when he left BNIF to head up an international telecommunications organisation, she went with him. However, her employment was cut short by the needs of her husband who she nursed and cared for during a long and painful illness. After her husband’s death I brought her back to work at NIA in 2005 as senior administrator and head of personnel, and she immediately settled back into the role as the highly efficient, practical and dedicated professional she is.

But that professionalism was always accompanied by a terrific sense of humour and fun, and enjoyment of the social side of life at NIA. NIA is renowned as an organisation that takes on talented young people, often new to the industry,

and gives them a wide range of experience and exposure that many have then taken on into new and senior roles in the nuclear sector and elsewhere.

V always played a crucial role in nurturing, supporting and managing those individuals as they developed and gained experience. She saw herself as the “mother hen” presiding over the team with compassion and humour.

V is widely popular and respected throughout the industry and has made many good friends.

She will always be remembered and applauded for co-organising the Nuclear Industry Association/ Nuclear Institute Annual Dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel. This task would take V months of hard work, often late into the evenings and at weekends. The consistent success of this mammoth event that attracts well over a thousand guests is a testament to V’s exceptional organisational skills, and diplomatic tact as she juggled the demands and requirements of the corporate sponsors, the table sponsors and their guests.

V retired after successfully organising the Annual Dinner of 2021, made all the more difficult by the constraints and uncertainties of the Covid pandemic. For that and all her other achievements over the years she should be immensely proud.

V was presented with an award at the dinner to mark her retirement but with typical modesty remained sitting upstairs on the balcony overseeing the rewards of her achievement. She will be a hard act to follow.

I, together with her many colleagues and friends at NIA and throughout the industry will be forever grateful to V and remember her fondly as a cheerful, practical, compassionate, and thoroughly pleasant person who always enjoyed a good laugh and was great to work with. She deserves a long and happy retirement.

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MIRANDA KIRSCHEL • BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR • CIRCULAR1 HEALTH

From Resilience to Risk Management Transitioning from COVID-19 legal requirements to managing risk and protecting workforce health The COVID-19 experience, and the testing programmes that have enabled the nuclear industry to keep operating, have shown that health screening can support better overall health among staff, even increasing workforce performance. Circular1 Health is taking learning from a resilience programme they have been delivering with some of the biggest businesses in the nuclear sector and applying them to a programme to enable healthier, more sustainable workforces.

This company, which found rapid-fire solutions to help companies keep going, is working in partnership with one of its major clients and local stakeholders, to develop a Proactive Health Programme that protects workforce health, creating a sustainable workforce for the region.

The mutual ambition of Circular1 Health and their client, is to leave a positive legacy in Cumbria where they operate, by providing affordable, accessible testing to help improve the health of the entire community.

Resilience for Critical Industry In the past two years, the fight against COVID-19, has repeatedly brought the country to a standstill as the Government, the scientific community and industry have worked together, trying to keep the cogs of the UK economy turning.

Lockdown was deemed by the authorities to be the best option to minimise the spread of infection, keeping our hospitals operating and daily numbers as low as possible.

However, nuclear licensed sites lacked the luxury of being able to shut up shop at a moment’s notice or have all staff working remotely; they had to find a way to keep operating. From the moment the pandemic hit, the team at Circular1 Health has worked tirelessly to support companies in the critical industry, particularly the nuclear sector, to keep sites operating and keep workforces safe.

Embracing Innovation Cumbria-based CEO, Stuart MacLennan, saw the impact the pandemic was having on industry and felt compelled to find a way to help the Cumbrian economy to keep operating. Working with colleague, Dr Chris Stanley, a respected commercial scientist and life sciences entrepreneur with experience in human tuberculosis testing, using the ‘LAMP’ (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification) detection method, found that this approach offered highly accurate testing for SARS-CoV-2, but processed results faster than PCR. 8 — SPRING | 2022

Being passionate about quality and accuracy, they designed a unique algorithm of LAMP followed

by PCR for confirmation, a test process that would reach 100% sensitivity (compared to selfadministered Lateral Flow testing that could be as low as 57%) and 99.995% specificity. A result of this accuracy, in under 45 minutes, was welcomed by the highly regulated nuclear sector as a helpful answer to the questions, “can I send my people onto site safely and keep the site operating?”

Fearless, Relentless Service Above all, Stuart wanted to create a service that, by and large, would take the burden off management teams that were already struggling to keep their companies going. He found solutions to every client question: “can you put a mobile lab on my site in 7 days?” the answer: “I can do it in ten”.

Labs were set up, innovations worked out, kits created, staff identified, couriers hired, drop-boxes installed, and postal problems solved.

To every question, the team found an answer.

And a business was setup seeking solutions that were ‘realistic but ambitious’, with the motto of the growing Circular1 Health staff becoming ‘Be Fearless, Not Reckless’. The team grew from 2 to nearly 250 in less than a year and the client base included nuclear licensed sites and larger supply chain companies.

Companies opted for Circular1 Health because it strived for quality, it was credible, it was fast at turning around solutions and it responded to every client need. Late nights problem-solving for clients, overnight shifts, weekend working; nothing was too much for this young company.

Helping to Keep the Lights on Less than two years from company registration, Circular1 Health has proudly achieved UKAS Accreditation ISO15189: 2012 Medical Laboratories - Requirements for Quality and Competence; a Circular1 Health Academy has been set up to train people (in a world where lab skills are like gold dust) and the company has entered into the breach of the less forgiving B2C market with a proactive health programme: ‘Me&MyHealth’.

It hasn’t been without its challenges, Stuart calls it ‘building and flying the plane at the same time’, but it has always found a way through. The service has been hailed by senior authorities as ‘unique’— the level of commitment to quality was regarded as unparalleled, and its partnership approach with clients under the Quality umbrella, had not been

seen in any other Covid testing company. The biggest honour was felt when the Managing Director of a large power generating company, thanked Circular1 Health for ‘helping to keep the lights on in the UK’.

Risk Management Today we are ‘living with COVID’ and people testing positive are legally permitted to circulate freely. The Government has confirmed that free mass testing will end on 1 April. But COVID19 continues to be a notifiable disease and businesses are preparing for the Risk Management needed to again retain their resilience.

Circular1 Health is working with employers to apply a toolkit to help, including a framework of policies and actions that businesses can take to ensure they retain control and risk management.

The Onus is on Employers The onus has been placed on employers, who will continue to be responsible for protecting their workers and particularly those with vulnerabilities.

Workforce screening prevents sites from reaching critical volumes of staff, while helping management teams measure the risk of sickness and absenteeism.

The experience of the last two years is that being on top of workforce health can inform decisions on whether to impose remote working or keep teams separate. Symptomatic testing can ensure staff that test positive can be encouraged to self-isolate to protect other workers from infection. Testing for staff returning from holidays, in advance of returning to work, can prevent the spread of new variants entering the UK from overseas.

Proactive about Health But the biggest learning from Circular1 Health’s programmes, has been that screening workforces has resulted in better productivity. Our ultimate intention is to support the NHS by providing diagnostic testing that catches issues before they arise, where a simple lifestyle or nutritional change can prevent a future problem.

A once or twice a year health check that flags minor concerns and then refers to support mechanisms within the health service or the third sector, or even social prescription, could make a meaningful impact in improving regional health.

Building Workforce Trust Clients have also shared that the testing service instilled a confidence in the workforce and built a trust between employer and employee that they hadn’t seen before. Encouraging proactivity around health and empowering people to take ownership of their health means a happier, healthier, more productive workforce, and that is the aim of the programme being developed.

Circular1 Health is preparing to launch the pilot Proactive Health Programme this spring—for information please contact Miranda Kirschel at miranda.kirschel@circular1.com.

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TIM DOWLING • BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER • TRADEBE INUTEC

Tradebe Inutec unveils nuclear waste treatment facility

▲ L-R: Kristian Dales, Tradebe UK CEO and Victor Creixell, global CEO environmental services open the new Tradebe Inutec site at Winfirth.

“IT’S YET ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE UK’S NUCLEAR DECOMMISSIONING MISSION AND EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE INNOVATORS IN ADVANCED TREATMENT AND DECOMMISSIONING.”

Kristian Dales, Tradebe UK CEO

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Tradebe Inutec, a leading provider of independent radioactive waste treatment services, has officially opened a new state-of-the-art facility at its Winfrith site in Dorset, UK. The 700m2 building is a flexible, multipurpose modular facility that can treat both Low-Level and Borderline Intermediate-Level radioactive wastes, making it safe for recycling and/or disposal.

Successfully constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility was officially opened by Victor Creixell, Global CEO Environmental Services & Global Functions and Kristian Dales, UK CEO on 15 February 2022.

This new facility will be able to accept difficult-to-treat radioactive waste from across the UK and internationally. The completion of the building works is the latest in a series of significant recent investments at Tradebe Inutec, including acquisition of land from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in 2018 and grant of a Nuclear Site License in 2019.

Victor Creixell, commented: “Our mission is to make complex waste simple. The provision of a flexible new treatment facility will further enhance our capability to provide offsite waste treatment and buffer storage that enables customers to

remove decommissioning and legacy wastes sooner.

“Furthermore, it will provide sustainable local jobs and support regional nuclear development, as well as allow more integrated operations with our sister site at Fawley.”

Kristian Dales, added: “This new facility will give our clients additional options for cost-effective, offsite treatment of their LLW and Borderline ILW waste. It’s yet another demonstration of our commitment to support the UK’s nuclear decommissioning mission and evidence that we are innovators in advanced treatment and decommissioning.”

It is expected environmental permitting and commissioning into operation will be complete in April 2022 when the facility will be able to start to treat customer waste inventories.

Tradebe Inutec is a subsidiary of Tradebe UK, an international specialist in waste reclamation and recycling solutions. Its Winfrith site is a National Centre of Excellence for the treatment of problematic waste and has been serving the nuclear industry for more than 30 years. Tradebe Inutec supports the NDA’s mission to deliver safe, sustainable and publicly acceptable solutions to the challenge of nuclear clean-up and waste management.

F.M.D. BOYDON • ASSOCIATE (FORMER HEAD OF LICENSING, ONR) • TÜV UK LTD S.M. HEWISH • DIRECTOR – NUCLEAR • TÜV UK LTD (TÜV NORD GROUP) S.P. LAWLER • BUSINESS MANAGER • FRAZER NASH CONSULTANCY LTD

The regulatory challenges of licensing innovation in the UK nuclear industry and how these may be resolved This is an abstract of a full version paper that will be published in Nuclear Future, May/June 2022

A

long with renewables and other low carbon technologies, nuclear power generation will form a key part of the energy mix as the UK drives towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050. There are a number of nuclear technologies on offer, spanning large nuclear, Small Modular and Advanced Modular reactors (SMRs/AMRs), each aspiring to exploit innovation in their design, manufacture, fabrication, assembly and operation.

Whilst the UK’s non-prescriptive regulatory regime appears especially amenable to innovation, there are inevitable challenges. This paper identifies some of these challenges and aims to suggest potential solutions for innovators noting the absence of:

● Specific Codes and Standards for innovative designs; ● Relevant Good Practice (RGP) as it is innovative, and; ● Operating Experience (OPEX).

The absence of RGP and OPEX is a true Catch22: To gain a licence you usually require RGP and OPEX, but to demonstrate RGP and OPEX you need a licence. Additionally the dearth of material test reactors means that obtaining test data to fully validate models and materials may not be possible, may be challenging and/or costly, and can lead to further difficulties both for regulators and innovators.

As one would expect, the UK nuclear safety regulator (Office for Nuclear Regulation, ONR) will not accept lower safety standards in any

circumstance. The onus is therefore on operators to explore alternative approaches to justifying their designs and/or processes in their safety cases. ONR funded a research report* looking at how innovation is currently regulated and shown to be safe in other ‘high risk’ industries. Our paper examines some of the approaches and principles within the ONR research report, as well as the authors’ own regulatory experiences to explore how operators in the nuclear industry could overcome the regulatory challenges of innovation that have been identified.

Our paper therefore seeks to develop a path for operators in overcoming the difficulties of producing adequate safety cases for their innovations, and, in addition to a number of approaches identified to justify innovations, our full version also concludes that: 1. Any requirement for RGP, relevant OPEX and fully validated models, will not be achievable for many radical reactor innovations; 2. Regulators cannot reduce their safety requirements for the sake of encouraging innovation but in our opinion, regulators should be open-minded to assessing safety cases that do not include RGP and OPEX, including the degree to which some models are validated; 3. Potential innovators must therefore be innovative in how they justify the safety of their innovations, and experience from other ‘high risk’ industries can be helpful in indicating strategies to achieve this.

* Research Supporting Regulatory Guidance for New Technologies and New Materials, ONR, www.onr.org.uk/documents/2020/onr-rrr-076.pdf

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GLOBAL COLLABORATION FOR A GLOBAL CHALLENGE 12 — SPRING | 2022

ANNE ARNOLD • HEAD OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS • NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY

New forum of national laboratories aims to break out of the nuclear echo chamber to build a longterm legacy of collaboration from COP26

On 26 January the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) hosted the world’s first summit between national laboratories working on energy research to progress a global integrated energy system approach to mitigating climate change.

As the UK’s national laboratory for nuclear fission, we recognised the urgency and the opportunity that followed COP26, the latest United Nations Climate Change Conference, to drive tangible actions. We strongly believe that an integrated, and international, energy systems approach is needed to achieve net zero so brought research and development partners together in a new way.

The aim of the Global National Laboratories Energy Summit 22 was to build a long-term legacy for COP26, in the year of the UK’s presidency. It signified the importance of integrated energy systems towards deep decarbonisation worldwide and the particular role national laboratories play to drive key science, innovation, and research and development towards a future net-zero energy economy. Crucially, we were not just nuclear laboratories speaking to each other, we had partners across the whole of the energy space.

The summit saw senior delegates from eight national laboratories across

Canada, France, Japan, the UK and USA express their intention to collaborate around an international approach.

Held virtually, it included keynote speeches from UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and UK Energy Minister the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP—representing the importance of these discussions in this next decisive decade.

In welcoming the event, NNL’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Paul Howarth said: “With the transition to net zero driving fundamental changes globally to energy supply, demand, transmission, distribution, storage and use, research and innovation is required to help us develop, design and operate the right systems for a net-zero future. But given the complexity of the challenge, there is no straight forward swap—we need to work together to maximise the efficiency and suitability of these systems and ensure they are affordable for current and future generations.

“As national laboratories we have a unique role to play in enabling the successful energy transition, by providing global leadership and scientific expertise, bridging the gap between academia and industry and driving the innovation required for future technologies to deliver. I want to thank our counterparts for all their

“The climate challenge that we all face is a huge one for societies across the world to come to terms with and to think about what response we need to make— urgently—in order to get on top of it. In November 2021, COP26 laid out very clearly what the challenges are in terms of the changing climate and, importantly, the role of innovation in how we solve this.

“It is very clear that this isn’t something that is a domestic issue—it’s an international issue and therefore requires international collaboration. Nations are going to have to harness all the resources they have and, particularly in respect of this summit, to think about the role of national laboratories, which have been absolutely crucial to support translation, adoption, and deployment of technologies that will make a difference.

“So with this meeting, it’s important that it is international in scope, it’s important that it is national laboratories coming together with all the resources and insights they can bring, and it’s important that it reflects the urgency of the work ahead.”

Sir Patrick Vallance, UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser work and commitment towards this very first summit, which I know will be an important global initiative and support the urgent challenges ahead in securing our world’s future clean energy economy.”

Doug Arent, Executive Director of Strategic Public Private Partnerships at the USA’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory added: “Building off many years of our domestic collaborations focused on low carbon integrated energy systems, we are excited to participate in this international collaboration among national laboratories.”

Why national laboratories?

National laboratories exist across the world to deliver cutting-edge science to solve some of society’s biggest problems. This summit was a chance to bring together some of those working towards climate mitigation—supporting the research and innovation required to develop, design, and operate a net zero energy economy.

The summit was the starting point of a global collaboration initiative between national laboratories to progress a holistic understanding of what

the future integrated energy system will look like, so we can evolve technologies to be fit and ready to deliver.

Ultimately, this approach will allow countries to leverage the benefits of each form of technology and their mode of operation to provide reliable, sustainable, and affordable low carbon energy for their citizens.

A commitment to collaboration The event closed with a concluding document signifying agreement towards future collaboration including: ●e nabling and preparing for flexibility in the way energy can be used ● identifying energy needs across industry sectors, and optimising existing and new infrastructure to deliver energy in the most efficient ways ● demonstrating maturity of the specific technological building blocks required for proof of concept of demonstrators or for the ‘First of a Kind’ of future integrated energy systems Delegates included high-level representatives from NNL; the Energy Systems Catapult, an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence set

up to accelerate the transformation of the UK’s energy system; Canadian Nuclear Laboratories; Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives in France; Institute of Energy Economics, Japan and Japan Atomic Energy Agency; Idaho National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, both part of the US Department of Energy’s complex of national laboratories.

What next?

We believe there is real value in national laboratories around the world working together to accelerate decarbonisation efforts and the research and development that will underpin this. NNL will continue to chair the steering committee for the summit for 2022, with the aim of passing on the baton to another of our counterparts for the 2023 summit.

We are currently developing specific actions with colleagues, which we expect will include a collaborative workshop and impact study with a view to progressing global best practice and knowledge around integrated energy systems.

You can watch the full summit, and find out more information, at www.nnl.co.uk/energysummit.

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JEREMY GORDON • DIRECTOR • FLUENT IN ENERGY

UK Needs

Nuclear This article first appeared in Nuclear Engineering International. Sign up for a trial digital subscription

O

nly one UK power plant of any kind that is operating today will still be in operation in 2050. That will be Sizewell B—if it is subject to a successful long term operation programme. In the meantime, Britain needs to build the equivalent of four times its current electricity sector, bringing on about 10 GWe of clean power capacity each year, every year, from 2025 until it meets the net zero deadline of 2050. That is equivalent to three Hinkley Point Cs per year, or 720 of the largest available wind turbines.

The chairman of the Nuclear Industry Association, Tim Stone, painted this picture of the pace and scale of the development needed in the energy sector in his opening remarks to the association’s Nuclear 2021 conference in London on 2 December. He concluded that coming decades were “about collaboration, not competition” between clean energy sources because there is simply so much to do.

It is technically very true that a range of energy sources should be used to improve the reliability of any country’s energy system, and to reach such huge goals. It also helps support these generous statements that the current UK government is resolutely pro-nuclear and continuously ramping up investment. The atmosphere at Nuclear 2021 was one of positivity and resolve to meet these targets, mixed with a certain amount of wonder as to the future of UK nuclear. Should it achieve even one quarter of what is being asked of it, the nuclear sector would be almost unrecognisable.

Between today’s status and an expanded future remain a number of serious hurdles, however.

The process of getting to a final investment decision is “outrageous” said Stone. There is so much paperwork, he said, that the planning consent system is “not rational” and “not serving the interests of voters” whether it be for a large reactor or a 5 MWe wind farm. Barnaby Wharton of RenewableUK agreed that “We can't do what we need to do under the current regime.” And this is one of the reasons, said Guy Newey, the head of insight at the Energy Systems Catapult, that he thinks there is only a 10% chance of meeting the UK’s current carbon budgets.

Action is needed on all fronts, from reform of the system granting development consent orders (DCOs), to cleaning up the carbon emissions of the supply chains that supply steel, and especially concrete, to construction projects. The ‘supply chains’ for skilled workers also need to be upgraded, the conference heard, while there is difficult new policy needed to provoke behaviour changes in energy consumers.

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How is all this going to happen? “The most important factor is the government,” said Newey.

Industry itself is already doing a lot. There are 6,500 people working on site at Hinkley Point C, which celebrated the lift of a 575 ton containment ring at unit 2 in November. It is noteworthy that this was completed 25% more quickly than the equivalent for unit 1, and that this was achieved while working through a pandemic. This acceleration was put down to the strategy of replication, the next step in which is the construction of Sizewell C, most of which is to be identical to Hinkley from the ground up, said Julia Pyke, EDF’s Head of Financing for Sizewell C. Pyke was firm about Sizewell C’s prospects. “We can ‘get on with it’,” she said, “once we have the necessary consents,” which are expected in the first half of 2022. This will be the first nuclear project under the new Regulated Asset Base (RAB) scheme, through which a small surcharge on consumers’ bills will be used to partially fund construction, thus reducing the need to borrow money and therefore the cost of the project overall. When the bill enabling this was tabled in November, it was said it would save some £30 billion ($40 billion) across the lifetime of the power plant.

Pyke said RAB means, "We can size the fleet to need, rather than sizing it to one-off financing deals," which stands as one way that clean energy construction can accelerate in future and meet more of the UK’s long term goals.

The role of China in Sizewell C remains unclear after more than 18 months of speculation that the UK government would prefer a more politically independent solution. Through China General Nuclear (CGN) the country has a 20% share in Sizewell C, a stake which Zhu Minhong, Chief Executive of CGN UK, noted was “endorsed by the UK government”. Zhu made overtures to the audience that CGN would like “to see how we can work together to explore cooperation opportunities to strengthen the UK supply chain.”

He pointed to CGN’s six units under construction in China, wondering aloud how CGN can help UK manufacturers to qualify to supply high value components to for Bradwell B, the new-build project which they own 100%.

CGN continues to support EDF in developing the Sizewell C project towards final investment decision, said Zhu, who also noted that there are “no showstoppers” in the Generic Design Assessment of the HPR1000 reactor design they plan to build at Bradwell B. “I instruct my team— just keep calm and carry on,” he said.

IOLO JAMES • MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER • NIA

National Apprenticeship Week 2022 There are over 1,700 apprentices learning their trade in the UK civil nuclear sector and to mark National Apprenticeship Week 2022 we learned more about some of their journeys, including Anna, Kerry, Joshua and Charlotte.

Anna Gates - Hinkley Point C Civil Engineering Degree Apprentice, Environment Team “I was inspired to become an engineer while studying for my A-levels in physics, geography, and maths. A civil engineer spoke in one our school assembles, and hearing about his career left me wanting more.

“I found the perfect course for me, a Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship at Hinkley Point C,the project to build a nuclear power station in Somerset. Soon after, I found myself in the middle of one of Europe’s largest construction sites, learning from some of the UK’s top civil engineers.

“Once operational, Hinkley Point C will be key in helping the UK kick its dependency on fossil fuels.

I’m passionate about sustainability—so I love that I’m using engineering to help the planet.

“The apprenticeship has helped me grow in confidence. It helps that everyone on site loves speaking to the apprentices, sharing their knowledge and expertise. I’ve also become a pro in time management, juggling university deadlines and training on-site.

“The course means I’ve got my foot on the career ladder already. By the time I graduate, I’ll have a degree and five years of work experience. I’m contributing to a lasting piece of national infrastructure, that’s what civil engineering is all about. Bring on the future!”

Kerry Jackson - National Nuclear Laboratory Scientific Apprentice “The scientific apprenticeship scheme has allowed me to begin my career in the nuclear industry. I work with advanced technologies and help contribute to the nuclear clean up. I have learned first-hand from my immediate team members, some of whom are internationally recognised in their fields. Now I have finished my apprenticeship I feel a great sense of achievement, as I have developed my technical knowledge and now network with many experienced professionals.

“Working within the radiochemistry team, alongside having support from the early careers team has given me the confidence to push myself and further my career. I am confident that I am now able to progress to more technical roles and study further education.

“I have supported the Early Careers team to promote and engage Women in Nuclear initiatives, and mentored new recruits within my team.”

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Joshua Wilkins - Sizewell C Controls Apprentice “I am a project controls apprentice for Sizewell C. It’s a three-year apprenticeship which I have started at Hinkley Point C in Somerset and will complete in Suffolk with the Sizewell C project. I feel really proud to work in an industry that’s fighting climate change and making a real difference in helping Britain cut its emissions and protect the planet.

“Working in project controls means that I get to combine two of my favourite things – IT and engineering. I keep track of our schedule and the tasks we have to do. That’s a pretty big role in a project like this where we are building a new nuclear power station which will make such a big contribution to meeting net zero targets.

“We literally have thousands of tasks to complete to deliver the UK’s first new nuclear power station in a generation and I am proud to be doing my bit.

Building new nuclear stations on time is crucial in the battle against climate change as we move away from fossil fuels.

“When I am not working at Hinkley Point C I am studying at the National College for Nuclear. I am learning core processes such as estimating, risk management, cost engineering and honing my IT skills. I am now in the second year of my apprenticeship and next year I am looking forward to returning home to Suffolk to work on Sizewell C.”

Charlotte Wilkes - UKAEA Level 6 Apprenticeship, Mechanical Engineering, A RACE and UKAEA apprentice on placement in JET Operations “I didn’t realise it was possible to study for a degree through an apprenticeship. As soon as I did, it really was a no brainer! So many people have degrees now, but the work experience gained through my apprenticeship alongside a degree will really help to boost my career in the future.

“When I started to look at mechanical engineering, I realised that it was really important to me to find a job that related to my ethics and morals. At UKAEA, we are all working together to achieve fusion energy, which promises safe and sustainable low carbon energy. Fusion really does have the potential to change the future for generations to come making UKAEA the perfect place to work—a job that I love that also fits with my morals.

“Becoming an apprentice has broadened my view.

When I first joined RACE and UKAEA, I thought there would be an expectation to know everything, but I now accept that it is okay not to know everything.

It is more important to ask questions when you are unsure as it provides an opportunity to learn.

Working in industry also means that I’m able to relate my study to what I do and can ensure it is relevant. Being surrounded by such experienced and knowledgeable colleagues has inspired me in many ways, especially knowing they were once in my shoes and have worked their way up to become who they are today.”

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Paul Forrest, Hunterston B Station Director 2019 - 2022 At midday on Friday 7 January, Hunterston B nuclear power station in West Kilbride, the most productive clean energy asset in Scottish history, came to the end of its working life. In 46 years of service, the Ayrshire plant produced enough clean electricity to power every home in Scotland for 31 years.

Originally expected to run for a quarter of a century to 2001, its life was extended thanks to the skill of the engineers who worked there and operated for another 21 years.

Paul Forrest, the Station Director, was in the control room that day and with a single press of a button the station was shutdown, bringing to an end over four decades of power generation in this small corner of Western Scotland.

The NIA caught up with Paul to hear about his personal connection to the plant, his colleagues, and Hunterston’s legacy.

is quite an unusual thing. Just before I left, I was handing out 40 year and 30 year award certificates.

People worked there for generations; fathers, daughters, sons. It’s a very family orientated place.

Pride overtook the sadness, but there were tears in people’s eyes for sure.

How do you sum up Hunterston B’s contribution?

The operators asked me if I would do it and I was quite proud that they did. But it was pretty uneventful, a single button and the reactor shut down within a second. The people around me had wee wry smiles on their faces, and were looking around, thinking ‘we have done our bit.’

When the station was built, the term ‘lowcarbon’ probably wasn’t even invented! But the station has been so important, and that was highlighted during COP26 in Glasgow, which was just up the road from Hunterston B. The term ‘low-carbon’ was on everybody’s tongues and the station broadly provided enough electricity for a quarter of Scotland’s needs and it was synchronous too, generating at 50Hz which was so important for grid stability.

What was the reaction of the workers to the shutdown and to the plant’s legacy?

It was a sad day obviously. I was in the control room when we shut it down and I remember going outside, and it was January in Scotland, so it was freezing, absolutely Baltic, but people were outside looking at the station. And what you see is this steam release, and that’s the physical thing. A sad day yes, but more than that, it was a very proud day.

About 80% of the workforce live within a 10-to15-mile radius of the station, so predominantly local employees with 500 staff and 250 contractors there all the time, but then you’ve got the people who work in the canteens, the people who stay in the hotels as they come to visit us, so its tentacles go right around the local network. People are definitely proud to have worked there.

Our retention rate at Hunterston was so high. We talk about 1% per year of people who leave, which

You were in the control room on the last day. How did it feel to power down the station?

What has the station meant to the local community?

There’s not a town in that local area that doesn’t have Hunterston employees or contracting partners, and the spend is tens of millions a year.

We put the effort in to look locally for suppliers and buy locally too.

That doesn’t stop because generation has stopped, we have to defuel the reactors so a large proportion of that remains. We’re retaining 75% of our staff, from around 500 to 410 and 75% of our contract workforce, wo we will still be contributing to the local community beyond the end of generation.

Do you have one memory that stands out from your time at the station?

The first day I went to Hunterston was a beautiful day. I remember driving along the access road and thinking this is the most Scottish power station; you’ve got [the Isle of] Arran in the background, the Isle of Bute too and it’s just such a beautiful setting.

I was the Plant Manager then and that was the first time I was there with a big responsibility. The pride in the people and the pride in the plant, that’s what made Hunterston great.

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DR PHILIP ROGERS • TECHNOLGY LEADER • NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY

How nuclear can help support a clean future for our gas networks

Imagine a world without natural gas and it would look very much like the world 60 years ago. Home heating by coal fires and columns of ash reaching into the sky from coal fired boilers for industry and electricity generation. The transition to natural gas has enabled continued economic growth and improvement of living standards while on the whole reducing illnesses and environmental impact compared to burning coal. The transition has been rapid and valuable to consumers, but now we need a further transition away from natural gas and to an alternative fuel that can deliver on our Net Zero target.

Hydrogen may be just the alternative we need, and transitioning the current UK gas network to hydrogen has attracted major interest. This would require the production of vast amounts of hydrogen, which is why the UK Government has invested in a project to help demonstrate the role of nuclear energy in supporting this transition alongside other hydrogen production routes. Given the Government decision point on the future of home heating scheduled in 2026, this project is timely to contribute part of the evidence base required, and could help to demonstrate the viability of a hydrogen transition for the UK gas network.

TWICE THE CAPACITY OF THE UK ELECTRICITY SYSTEM

Over 800 TWh of natural gas was distributed and consumed around the UK in 2019, over double the energy distribution of the UK’s electricity grid. Natural gas has a major role in the heating of people’s homes, generation of electricity and powering industrial processes. These sectors account for nearly 40% of UK territorial carbon emissions. Emissions are from millions of discrete emitters that have two things in common: their continued use is not compatible with net zero, and they are (mostly) all connected to the current gas network. Many users of natural gas are also hard to electrify, for example high temperature industrial processes and homes that are unsuitable for heat pump installation. In short, decarbonisation of these users is a major challenge and if hydrogen is the preferred route to Net Zero, we will require very large quantities of it.

Many hydrogen production forecasts lean heavily on renewable and CCUS enabled hydrogen produced from methane and although sometimes incorrectly overlooked, nuclear provides a key opportunity to deliver hydrogen at large scale and low cost while diversifying our energy supply chains. The ability of nuclear to produce such large quantities from a small land area means that collaboration between the nuclear sector and the gas networks offers the opportunity for a symbiotic relationship whereby the low carbon energy from nuclear is transported, in the form of hydrogen, to the millions of current natural gas users.

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The scale of the challenge is immense. To deliver the amount of hydrogen proposed to be needed by 2050 would require around 400 to 800 GW of wind energy or a vast amount of continued natural gas imports resulting in a hydrogen economy that fails to break away from the volatile natural gas markets.

Nuclear offers an alternative and additional solution capable of delivering the scale required while being reliant on only current technology and the opportunity to innovate new solutions.

This is why as part of the BEIS supported pilot of the Advanced Nuclear Skills and Innovation Campus, NNL and DNV have been establishing the feasibility for nuclear enabled hydrogen to be distributed in the gas networks to support their transition to hydrogen.

INTEGRATING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS TO DELIVER DECARBONISATION Leading up to the Government’s decision in 2026, significant work has already started on the feasibility of repurposing the gas network. Projects underway include the BEIS funded Hy4Heat, and the Ofgem funded H21, National Grid ‘FutureGrid’ and SGN ‘H100 Fife’. Much of the technical safety and operational evidence for repurposing the gas networks for hydrogen is being gathered from projects carried out at DNV’s Spadeadam site in Cumbria.

To date, a missing piece of this jigsaw is how nuclear enabled hydrogen production systems could interface with the gas networks; understanding this is therefore critical to determining the potential for real world deployments of nuclear reactors for this purpose.

The current project is therefore addressing several key questions: 1. How can the nuclear and gas network sector

develop a common understanding?

2. What are the safety and regulatory interfaces,

and how can these be developed to enable nuclear deployment to specifically provide hydrogen to the gas networks? What are the considerations for licensing of nuclear power that is used to produce hydrogen?

3. What are the characteristics of a connection

point from a nuclear enabled hydrogen production facility to the gas network? What are the siting considerations in relation to current UK national infrastructure?

4. What are the potential economics of nuclear

enabled hydrogen to support hydrogen to the gas network?

5. What is the next stage of developing this

opportunity that supports future decisions, including the BEIS decision making on hydrogen for heat and the transition of the gas network?

The project has been delivered through a series of collaborative technical projects and three workshops, which will be disseminated in a published report and webinar towards the end of April. The project included anin-person seminar to support both sectors in building the relationships for the future with over 40 people attending in Preston including a tour of the Westinghouse Fuel Manufacturing Facility.

NO SHOWSTOPPERS TO DISTRIBUTING NUCLEAR ENABLED HYDROGEN TO THE GAS NETWORK At this stage, the project has identified no unique technical, safety or regulatory showstoppers to hydrogen produced using nuclear energy being distributed in a future gas network. There are some longer-term aspects related to future systems that could require further investigation, however this underpinning work enables both sectors to explore more specifically how nuclear derived hydrogen can unlock decarbonisation of our gas network and provide domestic energy security.

With innovation at its heart, this project is driving forward opportunities for decarbonisation that have not previously been considered. It fills a key missing link in the nuclear enabled hydrogen value chain to deliver low-carbon energy to end users all around the country.

It also provides a strong footing for the nuclear industry’s involvement in wider national infrastructure planning and demonstrates how a gas network connected to Europe could provide the opportunity for the export of nuclear enabled hydrogen, adding valuable jobs and income to the UK. The UK has successfully been through one transition from coal to natural gas a further transition to hydrogen is absolutely necessary for Net Zero and in collaboration we have the opportunity to secure hydrogen for consumers when and where they want it.

If you are interested to know more, look out for the publication of our output, attend our webinar or contact phil.rogers@uknnl.com and/or sarah.kimpton@dnv.com.

Funded by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and delivered by NNL, the pilot Advanced Nuclear Skills and Innovation Campus (ANSIC) serves as a research and innovation hub.

Inspiring the next generation of nuclear scientists, the scheme’s ethos is to merge industry and academia to collaborate on projects designed to help accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear technology.

Integrated with NNL’s Preston Laboratory, a state-of-the-art nuclear research facility, ANSIC allows researchers and innovators to access some of the world’s most advanced nuclear facilities and receive support from NNL’s technical and operational subject matter experts.

As well as the hydrogen project, the ANSIC pilot has funded feasibility and collaborative project from the following areas: ● Irradiation of Material Specimens in Advanced Nuclear Reactors

● Advancing heat exchangers, energy management and conversion systems for advanced nuclear technologies

● Digital technologies to support development, deployment, operation and decommissioning of Advanced Nuclear Technologies 2022 | SPRING — 21

“CRITICAL ASSETS LIKE THIS NEED HIGH LEVELS OF PRECISION AT EVERY STAGE OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.” Daniel Massey, Senior Project Manager Osprey Ltd

FAST FACTS ●T he load was lifted off the vessel by a crane with a 35m boom and an overall lifting capacity in this configuration of 323.4Te. ●T his was the first use of innovative Dyneema lashing chains on a major AIL for HPC, which are 85% lighter than the steel alternative. ●T he final set of bladed rotors has 1,216 blades, and the turbine’s rotors will spin at 1,500RPM. ●T hat combination will help HPC to generate 3.2GW of CO2-free power for around 6 million homes—a vital part of the UK’s drive towards a zero-carbon future.

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HELEN BATT • MARKETING MANAGER • OSPREY LTD

High precision delivery of the world’s most powerful steam turbine

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ith the focus increasing on an efficient transition to a low carbon economy, the supply chain is looking for partners who deliver trusted, innovative efficiencies into every stage of a project’s lifecycle. The team at Osprey Group epitomised this approach recently, as it transported a new low pressure rotor, weighing 257 tonnes, for the world’s most powerful steam turbine at Hinkley Point C, in Somerset.

Hinkley Point C is the first new nuclear power station in the UK for over 20 years. The project marks a significant milestone in the revitalisation of the nuclear power industry. To facilitate its construction, Osprey Group was appointed by EDF to handle and transport all critical, out of gauge items destined for the site: the team working at the HPC Terminal uses the widest variety of transport—sea and land— providing the ship-to-shore interface for vessel agency, cargo handling and coordination of onward movement to one of the on-site managed facilities.

The new low-pressure rotor forms a critical part of the electrical power production equipment in the turbine hall. It measures 20 metres long, weighs in at a hefty 257 tonnes and houses the largest ‘last-stage’ blades ever made at 1.9 metres.

It takes herculean effort to move critical assets like these—one of a kind, multi-million-pound components. As the heaviest Abnormal Indivisible Load (AIL) being delivered into the UK for HPC so far, the project-planning for the rotor’s transport started over a year ago. Working closely with the key project teams at EDF(UK) and GE Power, enabled Osprey to build efficiencies into the journey from the outset.

The meticulous schedule saw the rotor’s journey start in Belfort, France, where it had been manufactured and tested by the GE team. From there, it was moved by our partners heavy-lift truck to Neuf-Brisach in the Alsace region of France, and then loaded onto a barge and transported down the Rhine to Rotterdam where it was stored at GE’s consolidation warehouse.

A coaster vessel already familiar to the project (MV Aasfjord) was selected by Osprey to transport the LP Rotor from Rotterdam to the UK. To maximise the efficiency of the shipment and use all available under hold deck space, additional items (three condenser units) were also loaded onto the vessel, which were then put to sea for the two-day journey to Avonmouth.

On arrival at Avonmouth HPC Terminal, Osprey used their LG1550 SLDB crane to lift all components from MV Aasfjord onto an awaiting 4 file 14 Self Propelled Modular Transporter. Once offloaded, all the components were then delivered safely into the bespoke storage facility—the off-loading and transportation itself took just under 10 hours, highlighting the precision with which the assets were moved.

This journey is a tried and tested route for the team now, but the journey to Avonmouth was a first for such a heavy item. “It was uneventful, which is just how we like it,” said Daniel Massey, Osprey’s Senior Project Manager.

“Critical assets like this need high levels of precision at every stage of the planning process. By working so closely with the core project teams, we were able to consolidate all the equipment coming in to Avonmouth at this point in the project. It’s just one of the ways we deliver value for our clients: we have the cross-sector experience to scrutinise those mammoth project plans and identify opportunities to add value.

“In this case, it’s good to know we’re not only delivering the components as needed, but as a company, we’re contributing to the low carbon transition in the most hands-on way—this consolidation reduced both the amount of carbon emissions connected to the supply chain and the number of actual journeys involved.”

In short, Osprey’s early contractor engagement and repeatable Shared Services model reduces the risk, costs and interfaces for everyone delivering critical equipment onto a site.

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NEWS FROM THE HUB. Assystem strengthens role in UK fusion development

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nternational engineering and digital services company, Assystem has secured a place on three new United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) frameworks that will facilitate the development of STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the UKAEA technology that aims to take fusion energy to the commercial stage in the UK. Assystem is supporting the UKAEA with a broad range of engineering services via multiple contracts won on the £4 million Engineering Embedded Resource Framework, working with UKAEA teams on fusion research, power plant design, robotics, modelling, materials, and other specialist technology areas.

The framework covers a variety of UKAEA projects such as STEP, the world-record setting Joint European Torus, and research at the UKAEA’s new Rotherham Fusion Technology Facility, that will be home to CHIMERA (Combined Heating and Magnetic Research Apparatus), the only machine in the world that is able to test components under the unique combination of conditions encountered in large fusion devices, such as ITER.

Assystem will also be supporting the concept design of STEP via the STEP Fuel Cycle Tritium Engineering Framework, established to allow UKAEA to access the UK industry’s knowledge of tritium and tritium engineering.

In a third win Assystem has also secured a place on the STEP Manufacture Support Services Framework, which will enable the UKAEA to access a range of design for manufacturing and advanced engineering skills.

Fusion energy offers the potential for abundant power, using a sustainable fuel source while leaving no harmful environmental legacy. The reality of fusion has the potential to meet the global energy demand for low-carbon power, acting as a stable partner in energy systems.

Assystem is committed to the projects that will drive and sustain the energy transition, such as fusion energy, and the company brings a rich heritage in fusion engineering to the STEP programme through its role at ITER—the world’s largest fusion prototype, where the company is a lead member in the Engage and Momentum consortia, as well as the

lead contractor for the design of the Divertor Remote Handling System.

Gary Reed, Assystem’s UK Fusion Energy Business Manager said: “Assystem is a well-established fusion engineering company, and we are invested in the UK’s ambition to drive the technology forward, an example of which is our 2021 report: Fusion Energy: A global effort, a UK opportunity that highlights the pathway to the commercialisation of fusion energy technology, focusing on the potential benefits for the UK in driving its development.

“We are delighted to join these frameworks as it will enable us to channel the knowledge and expertise of our teams into this new technology and allow Assystem to create interesting careers in science and engineering for graduates today.”

Last year Assystem commissioned the Institute of Mechanical Engineers to produce a report, Fusion Energy: A global effort (www.assystem. com/en/fusion-energy-report), a UK opportunity, assessing the opportunities presented by the progression of fusion technology in the UK and globally.

NUVIA to provide EDF with Fuel Flask Multi-Counter Equipment

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UVIA UK’s Products and Innovation business line has secured a contract to supply WIMP60x10 – Multiple Wipe Test Counter to EDF’s in support of the decommissioning and defueling programme across their AGR stations.

As EDF sites move towards defueling, flask movements/ throughput and, in turn, contamination surveys will increase significantly; the WIMP60x10 will help introduce efficiencies and support defueling at each site through rapid analysis and consistent flask contamination survey swabs reporting.

For each AGR station, NUVIA will provide the following equipment and services to facilitate and support defueling: • Two WIMP60x10 multi-counters at each specified EDF site.

• Each multi-counter will incorporate ten detectors and simultaneously analyse alpha and beta contamination levels within named measurement protocols.

• Each multi-counter will report the analysis results in an agreed format.

• Professional services to train key staff in the use of the multi-counter and production of reports.

• Annual Support and Maintenance Package.

The scope of supply includes all required documentation to support design, manufacture, works test, delivery, installation, test, and commissioning, including qualification and substantiation evidence to support Safety and Security Cases, including Station specific documentation.

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“WE ARE DELIGHTED TO SECURE THIS FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH EDF AND SHOWCASE THE EXCLUSIVE KNOW-HOW AND STATE-OF -THE ART TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED

BY NUVIATECH INSTRUMENTS AND THE EXTENSIVE BENEFITS OF OUR WIPE TEST COUNTERS.” Toby Webber, NUVIATech Instrument Manager

NSAN Endorses Programme for Aspiring Female Leaders

DRS ON CLOUD NINE AFTER GOLDEN WHISTLE AWARDS Direct Rail Services (DRS) has been named the ‘Best Performing Rail Freight Operator’ for the ninth year running at the Golden Whistle awards.

The prestigious Golden Whistles, organised by Modern Railways and the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators, are awarded on operational performance and DRS has been, once again, recognised as the UK’s most reliable freight operator.

This is the first time in two years the awards could take place in person and members of the team were thrilled to be able to accept the award on behalf of DRS and as Nuclear Transport Solutions’ (NTS) rail division.

The awards are in their thirteenth year and DRS has won a total of 10 of the ‘Best Performing Rail Freight Operator’ awards, an outstanding achievement.

Rail delivers 76 per cent fewer CO2 emissions when compared to road and DRS has been working very closely with its customers to introduce new services, making best use of electric rail freight to delivery no exhaust emissions transportation, safely, securely and reliably.

“It has been another tough year for the industry and so I’m delighted our commitment to delivering safe, secure and reliable rail freight services has been recognised with our ninth Golden Whistle award. It wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and professionalism of our entire team—the drivers, planners, controllers, engineers and everyone who works behind the scenes.

Chris Connelly, NTS Deputy CEO and Rail Director

STRIDE, a leadership development programme for aspiring female leaders, is the latest programme to achieve endorsed status from NSAN. NSAN Endorsed is a quality mark given by NSAN which indicates the training has been successfully assessed and benchmarked against relevant UK, IAEA and WANO Guidance.

STRIDE is a dedicated 6-month programme aimed at supporting female talent into leadership roles.

Long-time NSAN Provider member The Oakridge Centre, first developed the programme in 2014 in response to clients struggling to find leadership courses aimed at female middle managers. Since STRIDE’s launch, nearly 300 women have benefitted from the programme.

The first open course dedicated to aspiring female leaders from the nuclear sector is set to take place in September 2022.

“The nuclear sector is working hard to improve the gender balance within its workforce to achieve the target of a 40% female workforce by 2030. A further ambition, highlighted in the NSSG’s & WIN’s Sector Gender Roadmap, is to increase the proportion of women in senior management to 30% by 2030. The STRIDE programme is a tool that can be used to support aspiring female leaders to plan for their career progression.”

Jo Tipa, Managing Director of NSAN STRIDE is available as an in-house or open course.

The programme consists of 3 one day workshops, 1:1 coaching sessions, a range of webinars, networking events and pre/post-workshop support materials.

Registration for the open September nuclear industry focussed course will be on the NSAN website. If you would like to express your interest in the course email enquiries@nsan.co.uk. For further information on STRIDE, including feed-back from prior learners visit strideprogramme.co.uk.

increases Aquila’s capability in supporting the growing demand for nuclear containments in the UK. On 10 February 2022, Aquila Nuclear Engineering Ltd and Jacomex of France signed an exclusivity agreement making Aquila the exclusive representative of Jacomex custom made gloveboxes for the nuclear industry in the UK. The arrangement excludes laboratory and pharmaceutical gloveboxes.

The agreement follows a period of positive conversations and factory visits between the parties, and further complements Aquila’s existing links with France: Aquila is the exclusive UK distributor for Getinge La Calhene, and Aquila has most recently become a wholly owned subsidiary of Cyclife – EDF Group.

Aquila strengthens its glovebox capability Aquila Nuclear Engineering Ltd has entered an exclusivity agreement with Jacomex - France, enabling Aquila to represent and supply Jacomex custom made gloveboxes to the UK nuclear industry.

The agreement is built on exciting synergies shared between the organisations. This collaboration now

“This is an exciting opportunity for Aquila and Jacomex as the demand for the highest quality gloveboxes from proven manufacturers is unprecedented, both companies know each other very well and we share the same values; elite and ethical” Dave Barker, CEO, Aquila.

“We are very pleased to strengthen our relationship with Aquila.

Our agreement provides both our companies solid ground to build a long-term partnership. I am thankful to the teams at Aquila and Jacomex for their support and enthusiasm in working together to meet the expectations of the challenges ahead.”

Christopher Dane, Director for Business Development, Jacomex.

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All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy

Supercharging nuclear: Closing the policy gap Five steps to make nuclear happen, ensure energy security and hit net zero BE AMBITIOUS: define a target in the Government’s Nuclear Roadmap for Deployment of 15GW by 2035, and at least 30GW by 2050. This would show the UK is serious and committed to fleet deployments of large, small and advanced reactors.

GET THE FINANCING RIGHT: by Easter, classify nuclear as green in the UK sustainable investment taxonomy and make nuclear eligible under the Green Financing Framework.

ACCELERATE PROJECT TIMELINES: get Sizewell C to Final Investment Decision within 12 months, allocate pre-development funding to the Bechtel/ Westinghouse joint venture for Wylfa today, order 10 SMRs in this Parliament, and advance other large and small scale projects.

GIVE DEVELOPERS ACCESS TO LAND: give the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority a mandate to lease unused nuclear sites to prospective developers, and make it clear that private owners of potential sites must make land available for nuclear development.

SUPPORT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT: streamline the Development Consent Order process and enable developers to carry out multiple planning, consenting and licencing requirements concurrently, saving time without compromising on standards. Give all relevant regulatory bodies a net zero obligation. Assign additional money to the Future Nuclear Enabling Fund and publish details on bidding criteria and process.

STEPHANIE MCKENNA • MEMBER RELATIONS MANAGER • NIA

Waste Management Symposia 2022 At the beginning of March this year the spotlight was on the UK as the featured country at largest WM conference in the world, Waste Management Symposia (WMS) in Phoenix, Arizona. Six years after we were last the featured country, and 48 years since the inception of this not-for-profit event, the UK was ready to shine.

The event was attended by over 2,000 people from 35 countries.

The UK had a large presence, with over 175 people travelling to Phoenix to be part of this important event.

The UK took prime position in the exhibition hall with its pavilion, which included 24 industry companies, along with the NDA group, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), and the Department for International Trade.

It was a great opportunity for the UK to be at the forefront, with the

stand receiving a high volume of visitors from companies around the world looking to find out more about our decommissioning and waste management programme.

Alongside the 171 exhibitors was an extensive technical programme with 157 sessions, with the UK featuring in many. NIA’s CEO Tom Greatrex co-chaired a session with Anthony Banford, NNL on ‘Embracing our Nuclear Heritage to Benefit Society’, which included presentations from Fiona Rayment, NNL; Corhyn Parr, Nuclear Waste Services, Rebecca Weston, Sellafield Ltd and Saralyn Thomas, YGN. NDA’s CEO David Peattie provided a keynote address on how the UK is leading the way in decommissioning and waste management, and the challenges we are experiencing and overcoming.

“I was delighted to speak at the conference and be part of Team UK, representing the UK nuclear industry and showcasing many of its successes and challenges. Our international partners can see the progress we’re making and the conference provided many opportunities to discuss and share safe, responsible and cost effective solutions for progressing our respective decommissioning missions.

“This particular event isn’t just great for industry, but for the educational support it provides.

All the money raised supports scholarships to develop careers in the safe management of nuclear materials and to enable students to participate in the conference, with more than $4.3 million raised to date.”

David Peattie, CEO of NDA

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WELCOME TO OUR

NEW MEMBERS

Not a member? To find out about the NIA and benefits of membership scan the QR code.

To discuss membership options available to your company call +44 (0)20 7766 6651 or email stephanie.mckenna@niauk.org

CWMNI EGINO gov.wales

DASSAULT SYSTEMES 3ds.com

GSF UK gsf-uk.com

Cwmni Egino Ltd is a newly created Welsh Government owned company tasked with realising significant development opportunities at the former nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd with the sole aim of creating high quality jobs and growth.

We are the 3DEXPERIENCE Company.

Dassault Systèmes provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations capable of harmonizing product, nature and life.

For more than 50 years, GSF has been one of France’s leaders in hygiene, cleanliness and related services, workspaces, healthcare facilities, industrial production sites and public sites.

JENKINS & DAVIES ENGINEERING jenkinsanddavies.com

SIKA gbr.sika.com

SOUTHERN SCIENTIFIC southernscientific.co.uk

We are a mechanical engineering company working across the UK and Ireland in the petrochemical industries, marine and LNG industries.

Our greatest strength is the quality of our workforce. We deliver projects on time, within budget and to a very high standard—we pride ourselves on being the best contractor wherever we work.

Sika Limited, the UK subsidiary of the worldwide Sika Group was established in 1927 and produces and markets a wide range of state-of-theart systems covering construction products, industrial manufacturing, automotive manufacturing and DIY products ranges.

Southern Scientific is a specialist supplier of radiation detection equipment for the Nuclear, Medical, Security, Industrial & Research sectors. We develop both installed and hand-held systems, to provide simple but effective solutions to our customer’s detection needs.

SQUIBB GROUP squibbgroup.com

TERRAPOWER terrapower.com

X-ENERGY x-energy.com

Squibb Group is a recognised leader in the field of controlled demolition. We bring unrivalled expertise to all facets of the modern demolition process and delivering tailor-made and applicationspecific solutions that include top-down deconstruction, remote controlled demolition, and explosive demolition methods.

TerraPower’s innovators create technologies to provide safe, affordable and abundant carbonfree energy. They devise ways to use heat to drive economic growth while decarbonizing industry. And they develop processes to extract radioisotopes for medical use in lifesaving cancer treatments.

X-energy is a nuclear reactor and fuel design engineering company.

We develop Generaion IV high-temp gas cooled nuclear reactors and the TRISO-X fuel to power them. We are designing the safest, most efficient and most advanced small modular reactors for a wide range of global markets & applications.

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LINCOLN HILL • DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS • NIA

Paths out of the energy crisis: The nuclear option

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nergy prices and their impact on the cost of living have dominated political debate in the UK in a way they have not done for years. The nearly £700 increase in the price cap for a standard dual-fuel bill has swallowed up a huge chunk of the increase in pay packets.

The reason for the increase? Gas, gas, gas. Prices for natural gas worldwide have skyrocketed, from rebounding demand especially in Asia, and from Russian supply and market manipulation. Gas is the UK’s leading fuel for home heating and for electricity, so we are exposed on both ends of the bill.

This crunch has renewed attention on what nuclear has given and can give to this country and its energy system. Nuclear has a unique combination of sustainability, reliability, and sovereignty that make it ideally suited to cut our dependency on gas. As the Secretary of State said on a recent visit to Sizewell, “if you look at any energy system, you need security of supply—nuclear provides that. It’s here in the UK and we control it” (https://twitter.com/beisgovuk/ status/1493197845763174404.) A power station built here in the UK powers the UK—there is no scramble over other countries to snap up limited supplies.

Stations can store fuel years in advance at low and predictable costs, keeping down consumer prices.

Indeed, as Liam Kerr, a member of the Scottish Parliament, has written, “our current nuclear stations are the cheapest, most reliable source of clean electricity” (www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/ columnists/why-the-snp-is-wrong-to-scorn-lowcarbon-nuclear-energy-liam-kerr-msp-3544122.) The current fleet generates power that sells at £45/MWh, about one-third the average price of electricity this year. That is because, once built, nuclear stations have very low operating costs, making them an excellent deal for consumers.

That enormous contribution has focused political minds on the consequences of the coming fleet retirements. Hunterston B, Scotland’s most productive green energy asset ever, retired in early January. In its final year of generation, it generated enough electricity to power more than 1.5 million homes and prevent the burning of 1.3 billion cubic metres of gas. By 2028, five more AGR stations will join it in retirement. That means we are losing the low-carbon capacity to power more than 10 million homes and displace almost 10 billion cubic metres of gas imports.

The Government has engaged with that urgency and offered further public money to stimulate nuclear investment. They have agreed a £100 million option fee with EDF to advance the maturity of the Sizewell C project, so it is ready to bring to investors. If and when (as we firmly hope and expect), Sizewell C reaches a Final Investment Decision, the Government can either be paid back in an equity stake in the project or take a financing return on the £100 million. Either way, the Government has sent a strong signal to private investors that nuclear is green, nuclear is essential to the UK’s climate goals, and that ministers are committed to making projects happen.

Of course, political support for nuclear extends to Sizewell C and beyond. If we only build Sizewell and Hinkley, we will not quite have replaced the AGRs. That is why Steve Baker MP wrote in the Times that the Government should adopt a “fleet approach” to new reactors and “start looking at sites through a national policy statement for RollsRoyce small modular reactors (www.thetimes. co.uk/article/investing-in-nuclear-now-couldsave-us-future-pain-ct9b785wk.)

Ministers could establish the policy and legislative framework to enable small modular reactor orders. The government could also advance both approaches at the same time.” In fact, the Sunday Times editorial (www.thetimes. co.uk/article/wests-energy-failures-have-givenputin-his-chance-ldb7786s8) recently argued that “Britain now needs to embrace a proper building programme: up to eight big [nuclear] plants and 40 smaller ones are needed if we are to have any chance of hitting net zero by 2050.”

I hope this sly sprinkling of quotations will show that there are an increasing number of influential voices making the case unapologetically for nuclear investment. The energy crisis has focused minds on the need for secure, sovereign and affordable energy, and nuclear is ideally placed to answer that call.

In the next issue, I expect to report that the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill to establish the Regulated Asset Base model for nuclear projects, has passed Parliament with bipartisan support and has received Royal Assent. This will be an enormous step forward to get new projects going, so stay tuned!

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DECOM2022 attracts delegates from across the decommissioning sector, nationally and internationally. The NIA’s conference is run by the industry, for the industry.

This conference will be a platform for discussing lessons learned and progress across the industry. With an international audience of 300, more than 12 high -profile speakers and an extensive range of corporate sponsors and exhibitors, DECOM2022 will be the essential event of 2022.

We will discuss how we leverage innovation and embrace the changes we are facing as an industry to become an increasingly more efficienct, effective, and attractive market for talent and investment.

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

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