Big tech backing nuclear is huge opportunity for Britain
Business Group round-up 2024
Dunkelflaute: Low wind, high gas, and lots of imported power
Welcome to the Winter edition of Industry Link and where better place to begin than with the stalwart AGR stations that have been keeping the country’s lights on in what has been a still and cloudy few months. As I explain later in the issue, we owe so much to the current fleet which generates clean power all year round whatever the weather.
A reliable supply of zero-carbon electricity is one of the reasons why big tech recently gave its public backing for nuclear to power its data centres which, argues NIA CEO Tom Greatrex in the issue’s lead piece, presents a huge opportunity for Britain.
Elsewhere, outgoing NIA Chair, Dr Tim Stone, assesses the state of the industry as he looks back at the highs and lows of the last six years, Sirius Analysis Ltd offers its take on how Britain unlocks the potential of SMRs and Mike Peers analyses URENCO’S economic and socioeconomic contribution.
There’s lots more in this issue to get your teeth stuck into including an In Conversation piece with Amentum’s Andy White and a roundup of the NIA’s activities at the Political Party Conferences and very busy Business Group meetings.
All eyes now are on Spring 2025 as we await Sizewell C FID and the results of the SMR Competition, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy reading!
Iolo James Head of Communications, Editor
Editor - Iolo James
Art Editor - Dan Powney
Press & Advertisement Enquiries - press@niauk.org
Membership Enquiries - membership@niauk.org
Contributors - Tom Greatrex • Tim Stone • Millie Beaver • Stephanie McKenna • Amritpal Agar, Frans Boydon, and Mark Higson, Sirius Analysis Limited • Kristina Drake, Nuclear Waste Services • John Prydderch, Exyte Hargreaves • Mike Peers, Urenco • Andy White, Amentum • James Barker, Nuclear Institute • with additional thanks to World Nuclear News and Great British Nuclear
Nuclear Industry Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2804518
Registered Office - 4th Floor, York House, 23 Kingsway, London WC2B 6UJ
TEL +44(0)20 8629 4200
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Cover image - Courtesy of X-energy https://x-energy.com This magazine is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, using vegetable based inks.
Power hungry:
Big tech backing nuclear is huge opportunity for Britain
When Amazon announced last month it was investing £380m in X-energy’s advanced Small Modular Reactor another domino had fallen in a line of big tech companies that have concluded nuclear power is the solution to their biggest challenge.
Tech giants need a secure supply of zero-carbon, price-predictable electricity which is available 24/7 to power their drive for AI and quantum computing dominance. Only nuclear ticks all those boxes.
Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, summed it up perfectly: “One of the fastest ways to address climate change is by transitioning our society to carbon-free energy sources, and nuclear energy is both carbon-free and able to scale— which is why it’s an important area of investment for Amazon.”
Amazon has joined Google, Microsoft, Meta and others in championing nuclear, announcing serious investments in the technology, be it new capacity on new sites, or repurposing sites which previously had nuclear stations. They know that nuclear is uniquely placed to help with the challenge of how to meet the huge power demand of AI with a reliable source of electricity that also protects the climate. And crucially, looking to procure their own
▲ X-energy’s small modular reactor training centre in the US. The company recently signed a deal with Amazon to power its data centres with nuclear energy (Credit: X-energy)
power rather than waiting for utilities to add more capacity to the equivalent of our National Grid.
The first domino was knocked by Microsoft, announcing a 20-year power purchase agreement that could see one of the Three Mile Island units restarted by 2028. Then Google announced its order of six to seven SMRs, totalling around 500 MW of capacity. Meta too has stated that it foresees AI data centres be built next to gigawattscale power plants—a remarkable shift from a certain Nick Clegg who infamously opposed new nuclear in the UK claiming it wasn’t needed and would take too long—and Amazon wants to develop X-energy’s Xe-100 reactor, totalling up to 5 GW of capacity by 2039. To put that in context, the entirety of the UK’s currently generating nuclear fleet is just over 5 GW.
Whilst these reactors are planned for the US, these announcements will likely trigger similar moves in Europe, where electricity demand for data centres is predicted to more than double by 2030. And with the UK government’s ambition to make Britain a leader in AI and having announced data centres as part of the successful outcome of its recent Investment Summit, then secure, reliable and carbon free power will be needed too. Thus there is a real opportunity
for us to attract new investment in UK nuclear, creating opportunities for businesses and jobs for people in our industrial heartlands.
For that to happen, there needs to be clarity and a show of confidence from the government that it’s backing nuclear. An easy win would be the publication of the UK’s green taxonomy, with nuclear’s inclusion, and for nuclear to be eligible for green bonds, so we can start attracting the same investment as other clean tech.
The government has already attracted big investment worth £6bn from four US tech firms, which have all agreed to house their data centres in the UK. Nuclear can help power them, and our ministers and leaders should be championing the opportunity, much like the US government is doing.
Nuclear can do so much more than just providing power to the grid and the UK should be taking the lead in attracting investment from companies who want to develop here. The AI revolution is hurtling towards us, and the biggest risk in securing that investment is anxiety about the availability of reliable electricity to power it. For these energy intensive industries of the future, nuclear is the answer they are already turning to internationally— we cannot afford to be left behind.
A Look Back: Six years as NIA Chair
As I step down from the chair of the Nuclear Industry Association at the end of 2024, I’ve been reflecting on what’s happened over my six years in the role and the almost about-turn in the industry’s fortunes.
As I arrived, civil nuclear operations, decommissioning, and defence were the industry. The nuclear renaissance of the late noughties was a faint, glowing memory, and while Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C continued to make progress, that was the remaining ember of hope and optimism.
I took the view that the key role of the NIA, at that point, should be to do all we could to drive government, both publicly and privately, to make nuclear power a much more important part of the future energy mix than simply completing Sizewell C.
Following the appalling, illegal invasion of Ukraine, the then Prime Minister quickly focused on the need for energy sovereignty as a key foundation of any rational energy policy. The NIA was front and centre in the creation of the roundtable which followed, and I chaired opposite the Prime Minister, and the creation of Great British Nuclear (GBN) was the primary outcome.
Since then, the UK has become a global leader in the development of new nuclear—not back to the very front, as we were in the late noughties, but pretty close. The nuclear renaissance is now alive and thriving in the UK.
To go with GBN, the fusion world is now much more lively with both the development of JET into STEP now firmly estab-lished in West Burton, and other privately-funded projects all driving hope of a nuclear fusion-powered future for our children and grandchildren.
But it’s not all quite so rosy. We still do not have, to quote Donald Tusk, even a sketch of a plan for what 2050 might look like, what a proper systems view of that might be, let alone how we might create that at the lowest cost to the national economy. This is the most important challenge for the UK government, and those of the UK’s competitor nations, and there are two fascinating immediate issues.
First, as the proportion of intermittent generation increases on the UK system, the cost of keeping that system stable—specifically the balancing costs—has risen dramatically to over £8.5 billion since January 2022 and is set to rise at an ever faster rate with further increasing proportion of intermittency on the system. These costs combine with transmission costs to be around two-thirds of the cost of electricity to the consumer, whether individual or industrial.
To make matters worse, while in 2022 the government focused on energy sovereignty as
a critical part of energy security, the UK is now importing large amounts of electricity through interconnections—over 26 TWh so far in 2024. A proportion of that is from fossil fuel generation in Europe, including the filthiest, lignite-powered generation, but nuclear from France is our biggest source of imported power, so we’re paying the £250 million monthly bill and they get the jobs. That has to change, but we need to build more of own nuclear first.
Secondly, we have seen a dramatic rise in the interest from the largest data and AI companies— Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft—in the future use of nuclear power to run their facilities securely and reliably at low cost. That is partly because having a nuclear power facility on site, backed up by the grid—the inverse to traditional thinking—can provide secure low-carbon power at one-third of the cost of buying from the grid. But nuclear is an ideal match to data centres and AI factories, and by becoming an anchor client, these companies are able to shape the future development to suit their own circumstances. Intriguingly, the role of nuclear as an economically attractive way to deliver grid stability has been highlighted with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the US currently blocking Amazon’s purchase of half the output of the Susquehanna nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, citing concerns that diverting so much power could destabilise the grid. To quote Joni Mitchell, “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone”…
The UK has a golden opportunity to drive nuclear powered data centres. We have potential sites, we have a world-class nuclear regulator who could enable this to happen at pace, especially if we were to enable test-licences to support the development, and we have a vibrant industry itching to make progress. Bureaucracy needs to turn from inhibiting progress to enable it to be driven hard.
The role of nuclear in future energy systems is clear. In Europe, North America, especially Canada and the UK, nuclear is clearly a critical part of a rational energy system whose cost and reliability will define the economic competitiveness for these countries for our children and grandchildren and beyond.
The future mission of the NIA is to weld nuclear in place in the UK and make the supply chain and nuclear manufacturing in the UK a vibrant success and major export market. I will delight in watching this happen from my ongoing viewpoint on the board of Great British Nuclear and as Chair of Nuclear Risk Insurers and I wish the NIA the very best. It’s a wonderful team of people—thank you so much for all your support over the years.
Media Watch
When big tech companies announce they’re backing a particular horse, people tend to stand up, take note and follow suit. That’s exactly what happened when Amazon, Google and Microsoft all announced they would be investing in nuclear power. Cue a flurry of media interest all around the world.
Here in the UK NIA CEO Tom Greatrex spoke to BBC News and Talk TV about the huge opportunity nuclear powered data centres offers the industry. He explained that tech giants backing nuclear was a no-brainer and that Britain should be leading the charge to attract investment and projects to the UK to help become an AI super power.
In November the NIA reported that the UK had broken the record for the amount of power we’re importing, after analysing data from the National Energy System Operator. The story received considerable media coverage with the Telegraph, Bloomberg and The Times all covering the story. It’s important because it shows we are becoming increasingly reliant on power from abroad instead of clean, homegrown electricity.
The press are increasingly interested in data stories which shows the vulnerabilities of the power system and the NIA will keep making the point that homegrown nuclear is cleaner, cheaper and more secure than power from abroad.
In the same week that saw the US set out plans for an additional 200 GW of nuclear by 2050 and six more countries at COP29 commit to tripling nuclear, the NIA’s CEO Tom Greatrex spoke to Times Radio about the growth of nuclear in the UK.
He explained to listeners the importance of having a long term plan in place so we can grow supply chain confidence, start building GW stations and SMRs in fleets so we can benefit from economies of scale. He used the example of Unit 2 at Hinkley Point C being built 30% faster than Unit 1 to show how building more brings down costs and improves efficiency.
If you like nuclear documentaries then you should check out ‘Inside Nuclear’, a new documentary providing an accessall-areas peek into nuclear power generation. Produced by plant operator, EDF, and hosted by engineer and Channel 5 TV presenter Rob Bell, the documentary offers an in-depth tour of the impressive facility located on the Lancashire coast.
As he delves into the intricate processes of nuclear energy generation, Rob explores areas of the plant rarely seen by members of the public, meeting skilled engineers along the way, and even standing on top of a nuclear reactor. It’s worth a watch! Find it on EDF’s YouTube page.
Following the exciting announcement from Last Energy in October that it plans to deploy four of its micro reactors at a former coal site near Bridgend in South Wales, NIA CEO Tom Greatrex spoke to BBC Radio Wales about nuclear’s unique role in decarbonising heavy industry. He said that “increasingly, industries are looking to nuclear to provide that reliable and price predictable heat and power as they seek to decarbonise.” We’ll closely be following their progress.
IOLO JAMES •
Key Cernavoda contract signed
The engineering, procurement and construction management contract for completion of Romania’s Cernavoda units 3 and 4 has been signed with the FCSA Joint Venture including Fluor, AtkinsRéalis, Ansaldo Nucleare and Sargent & Lundy Energie.
Cernavoda is the only nuclear power plant in Romania and consists of two 650 MWe Candu-6 reactors. Operator Nuclearelectrica plans to extend the operating life of unit 1 to 60 years. Most of the work on the unfinished units 3 and 4 was done in the 1980s.
Holtec highlights used fuel repairs
Holtec International said it repaired 125 damaged used fuel assemblies as part of the successful completion of its recent loading campaign of 480 used nuclear fuel assemblies into 15 HISTORM FW dry storage casks at Angra unit 2 in Brazil.
The storage facility is designed to receive fuel elements after the cooling process in pools at the plants. They are stored in canisters made of steel and concrete to guarantee safety. It is a system which is used in
the USA and is designed to withstand extreme events such as earthquakes and floods.
It includes physical security, radiation and temperature monitoring, an armoured access control centre and a storage warehouse with a technical workshop, designed and constructed by Holtec.
Orano lays foundation for thorium-228 facility
Orano subsidiary Orano Med has laid the foundations for its Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility plant in Bessines-sur-Gartempe in France. This facility is the world’s first industrial plant dedicated to the production of thorium-228, a precursor of lead-212, for radioligand therapies..
Lead-212 targeted alpha therapy combines the ability of biological molecules to target cancer cells with the cell-killing potential of alpha emissions generated by lead-212. Orano Med says the development of these radiopharmaceuticals has long been hindered by the difficulty of producing them on an industrial scale.
Thanks to innovations that ensure a very high level of purity, the Advanced Thorium Extraction Facility’s (ATEF) construction will industrialise the production process for thorium-228, under development for more than
10 years by the Laboratoire Maurice Tubiana (LMT). ATEF will supply all the ATLab (Alpha Therapy Laboratories) facilities set to manufacture lead-212based drugs for patients worldwide.
In the short-term, the combined production capacities of the ATEF and LMT will ensure supply for clinical trials and the commercial launches of Orano Med’s first treatments.
China’s first CAP1400 begins supplying power
The first of two demonstration Guohe One (CAP1400) reactors at Huaneng Group’s Shidaowan site in China’s Shandong province has been connected to the grid. The 1400 MWe pressurised water reactor design is intended to be deployed in large numbers across the country, as well as for export.
The CAP1400 is an enlarged version of the CAP1000 PWR developed from the Westinghouse AP1000, with consulting input from Westinghouse.
Construction of unit 1 started in June 2019 and unit 2 in April 2020.
The reactor design is expected to take 56 months to build, with later units coming down to 50 months.
The reactor will now undergo gradual power ascension testing and trial operation verification before officially entering commercial operation. For full versions and more
Unlocking the Economic Potential of SMRs: Getting Things Ready
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are becoming a key part of the UK’s target of 24GW of new nuclear power by 2050. While large nuclear projects like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C are progressing, SMRs offer a complementary approach to scaling nuclear power quickly and flexibly. Built in factories and assembled on-site, SMRs could reduce construction times and bring much-needed predictability to project costs.
Yet, significant questions remain: are SMRs economically viable, and what are the key obstacles to their deployment? Great British Nuclear (GBN) will conclude the competition to select the UK’s SMR technology in 2025, with the sector closely monitoring its progress. This article examines the financial, siting, and regulatory challenges facing SMRs in the UK and explores what is required to ensure they will contribute meaningfully to the UK’s clean energy goals.
Financing SMR Deployment
There are some key financial challenges that need to be resolved for the UK to effectively deploy SMRs to meet its 2050 decarbonisation goals. To achieve its targets the UK must dramatically accelerate nuclear investment and mobilise capital at an unprecedented scale providing cost certainty to potential investors. With nearly two-thirds of nuclear power costs stemming from construction, securing investor confidence is key.
SMR development demands significant upfront investment in design and licensing. Lessons from past infrastructure projects underscore the need for thorough early-stage planning to mitigate cost and schedule overruns. At this point, developers may need to risk tens of millions of pounds before a Final Investment Decision (FID). Several UK nuclear projects have stalled before reaching FID, making developers wary of committing capital at this stage. Government co-funding of viable projects could reduce this risk in the SMR development phase. SMR financing, particularly for first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects, faces long-term return uncertainties that may deter private capital. Addressing this requires a mix of supportive Government policies, streamlined regulatory processes, and robust financing mechanisms. Developing an SMR pipeline rather than isolated projects could improve capital efficiency by providing a stable path for returns. Combining this with stable revenue via a Contracts for Difference (CfD) or Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model could attract long-term investors, while nuclear’s status in green finance frameworks may appeal to environmentally-focused investors.
Constructing a fleet of SMRs offers potential cost efficiencies. A fleet approach enables economies of
scale through standardisation, bulk procurement, and streamlined regulatory approvals, reducing perunit costs and enhancing operational efficiency and potentially decommissioning efficiencies. Modular, offsite prefabrication and assembly can bring more cost and schedule certainty to the construction process when compared with traditional reactor builds. This method speeds up deployment and allows reactors to be consistently replicated, reducing costs through the learning effect which is difficult to achieve with individual large reactor build projects.
Siting Challenges and Opportunities for SMRs
To achieve 24 GW of new nuclear power by 2050, extensive work is required to identify, assess, and secure appropriate sites. SMRs, with their smaller footprints and lower outputs, offer unique siting flexibility, as grid connection and cooling requirements could differ from those of larger reactors.
The UK’s 2011 National Policy Statement (NPS) for Nuclear, which outlined eight potential sites for gigawatt-scale reactors, only covered large-scale projects like Hinkley and Sizewell. SMRs were not included as they were still in early development. The Government has taken steps to ensure the availability of some sites, by acquiring Wylfa and Oldbury. In March 2024 proposals for public consultation for an updated NPS address SMRs, and shift from specific site listings to criteria-based site suitability. This approach grants more flexibility but removes the clarity that predefined sites can provide, requiring developers to justify individual site selections through the planning process. Effective community engagement to highlight benefits and manage disruptions will be crucial in securing planning approvals and avoiding delays.
While most criteria for site suitability remain uncontroversial, one key issue is the continued use of population density limits, originally established for the AGR fleet, in 1968. This could hinder SMR integration into industrial zones or their use for combined heat and power, though the consultation notes that this requirement might be reconsidered as advanced nuclear technology matures.
SMR developers face a dilemma: without assurance of a full SMR fleet, investing in site assessment is risky, yet a fleet commitment depends on site availability. However, the establishment of Great British Energy, the acquisition of Wylfa and Oldbury, and the SMR investment selection process suggest a more supportive government stance that may alleviate this issue. In parallel, major customers like data centres, with rising demand for low-carbon
electricity, may also drive progress and the unlocking of new sites.
Regulation Challenges for SMR Deployment
The Regulator’s Code mandates that regulatory duties be conducted proportionately. As the complete release of radioactive material from either an SMR or full-size reactor is considered “intolerable,” SMRs are subject to the same rigorous standards of safety, security, and environmental protection as larger reactors. Without considering the potential opportunities for streamlining regulation, this may mean that SMRs could incur proportionately higher regulatory costs when compared with conventional reactors.
At present, limited regulatory capacity to evaluate new reactor designs presents a challenge, particularly as acceptance of novel technologies tends to be more complex. SMRs feature advanced safety components, such as passive safety systems, which differ from those of traditional reactors. One of the benefits of the ONR’s Generic Design Assessment (GDA) is that it allows for a single, fleet-wide assessment of identical reactors, which is particularly useful when planning for serial deployment.
A fleet of SMRs could be constructed on a single site due to their smaller footprint. Each reactor site is individually assessed for factors like ground stability, flood risks, and emergency preparedness. SMRs will also require well-defined decommissioning and waste management plans. Co-locating SMRs may reduce regulatory effort. SMRs depend on modular, serially-produced designs, making component standardisation essential. However, varying national regulations present a challenge to international uniformity. With SMRs intended for global deployment, standardised regulations across countries could reduce duplicate reviews and the resulting redesign. Efforts led by the IAEA to standardise nuclear requirements and foster international regulatory collaboration are vital to these efficiencies.
Numerous bodies, such as the ONR, Planning Inspectorate, DEFRA, EA, Natural Resources Wales, Natural England, and MMO, play roles in regulating nuclear new build. For SMR deployment to proceed as planned, these agencies will need to streamline and effectively co-ordinate approval processes without compromising rigour. Specific regulatory guidelines for SMRs in these areas will help address long-term safety and maintain public confidence.
SMRs offer the UK a viable route to achieve its net zero targets with nuclear power as a fundamental component of the energy mix. However, their successful deployment will depend on overcoming financial, regulatory, and siting challenges. By adopting a fleet-based approach, the UK can lower capital costs, improve deployment timelines, and build the nuclear infrastructure essential for long-term energy security. UK policy should focus on streamlined regulatory processes tailored specifically to SMRs, ensuring that projects advance efficiently without compromising on rigorous safety and environmental standards. A cohesive strategy that combines private investment, supportive government policy, and a flexible regulatory framework can secure SMRs as a cornerstone to meet the UK’s 2050 climate goals while providing secure, low-carbon energy.
DfMA is in our Nuclear DNA
JOHN PRYDDERCH • HEAD OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS • EXYTE HARGREAVES
I visited Hinkley Point C earlier this year to meet our project team and see the progress of our work. It had been several months since my last visit and the site was vastly different than I remembered. There were walls where previously there had been walkways, buildings had accelerated in their construction. I’ve often described HPC to colleagues who have not visited site as like a living thing. It grows and evolves each day as site operations take their course. It presents an interesting logistical problem for contractors like Exyte Hargreaves when attempting to install product on site.
The traditional manufacture and install process was fairly linear for HVAC. Products and systems were designed, made and sent out to site for install. If the programme was delayed in some way, the products were simply stored on site until install could take place. That’s impractical on a site like Hinkley Point where space is at a premium. The answer for Exyte Hargreaves was off site, rather than on site.
The footprint of the Exyte Hargreaves manufacturing facility is roughly 8,000m2. It is the largest of its kind in the HVAC industry. At the far end of the factory, is our designated DfMA area. It’s one of the largest free areas within our facility and with overhead craneage and excellent vehicle access provides us with flexibility needed to bringing together number of components to complete offsite modularised product. Currently, there are a number of large SHEV (Smoke Heat Exhaust Ventilation) modules going through the fabrication process. These roof ventilation modules varying in size with the largest up to 9mtrs in length and weigh around 3000kgs. The completed module include smoke ventilation louvres & fans including associated power & control wiring, mounted on support frame complete with weathering cowls across the complete module. With the completed module including roof finishes we are supporting the construction of roof works over 200 miles from site, eliminating what would be piecemeal installation works at roof level approximately 50 metres above ground level. We will be manufacturing 30 of these modules in total and eventually, they will be craned into place on the HM building roof at Hinkley Point.
Other than the obvious benefit of eliminating risks and practicalities of working at 50 metres, there are multiple benefits to pre-fabricate in Bury and then transport 30 mammoth ventilation modules over 200 miles to the Bridgwater site?
Quality control is a huge benefit to DfMA (Design for Manufacture & Assembly). The Exyte Hargreaves factory is a controlled environment, immune from the impacts of weather or other disruptive factors. It means that HVAC systems, of the size required by large nuclear facilities, can be fabricated more efficiently and accurately than if they were on site. The process is undertaken in conjunction with design and operational teams so that product quality is heightened—client inspections before products leave for site is also commonplace.
There is an efficiency gain when the products make their way to site also. The deliveries themselves can be reduced by up to 80% for offsite assembled solutions, compared to traditional onsite installation. A proportion of testing can be completed in the factory, so there is a reduction in site testing and commissioning. Overall, delivery programmes become much simpler, reducing the construction cycle.
Critical to ensuring the benefits of DfMA are realised is a mature approach to Digital Engineering. It’s about much more than creating models. Exyte Hargreaves has a commitment to digital innovation,
with Hinkley Point C becoming our first fully paperless project delivery. For us, digital engineering is about unlocking knowledge and stimulating insight. Data becomes a platform for true project collaboration enabling us to interrogate to a point of ‘build before we build’. The design is improved, risks can be eliminated and the price, programme and delivery is far more predictable.
Finally, and most fundamentally, there is a real safety benefit to DfMA. Since site occupancy times are reduced and the install process simplified, there is less chance of an incident occurring.
Exyte Hargreaves is committed to the principles of nuclear safety through an Incident Free Workplace (IFW). As one of our core business values, Safety is engrained within Hargreaves. Our recent safety record is exemplary.
There is another acronym which has been previously associated with DfMA, OSM or OSA. MMC or Modern Methods of Construction is a term which was a typical descriptor of this kind of off site procedure. It certainly doesn’t work to describe the approach taken by Exyte Hargreaves on our current and future projects. DfMA for HVAC systems is less about being modern, it is now a tradition and the demand for it from our clients is growing. Looking at its success on nuclear projects like Hinkley Point C, DfMA is now firmly a part of our nuclear DNA.
Wylfa and Oldbury: Green shoots of progress
In March Great British Nuclear (GBN) bought two sites for nuclear new build on behalf of the UK government from Hitachi, Oldbury in Gloucestershire on the banks of the River Severn and Wylfa on the tip of the island of Anglesey in North Wales.
Following that purchase GBN have put in motion early site development activities and GBN recognise the sensitivity of both sites, including that they are situated adjacent to international ecological designations.
For Oldbury, GBN need to build a new and detailed environmental baseline for the site and its surrounding areas, and for Wylfa GBN have reviewed the extensive existing available information for the site and are determining its current status and that of its associated project areas.
Neil Burke, seconded to GBN from AtkinsRealis and leading the work on behalf of GBN, described the work: “In order to unlock the potential of the sites for nuclear new build it is critical that GBN understands the constraints, challenges and opportunities posed by the sites as soon as possible” and is “why we have put in motion our plans to drive that understanding as soon as the data and the sites have become available to us.”
The GBN team, made of industry experts have extensive experience across all of the previous
nuclear new build projects. Neil said that “based on that experience we understand that there is a very high bar for an evidence based approach set in the planning and other consenting processes. The work we have been undertaking over the summer will start to address those challenges”.
The scope of these works, which started in the summer, involved a deep dive into desk-based materials, including those provided by Horizon/ Hitachi following the sale of the sites. Simultaneously, along with the support of Arup, work has been undertaken involving site based walk overs and targeted survey activities at both sites.
The work was completed in September and will be used to drive the next phase of more extensive survey works, which started in October, as well as supporting site focused project planning activities. In order to drive the next phases of these activities GBN has been procuring services from the UK supply chain since the summer and the contracting activities to ensure the next phase is on track. This work is central to GBN’s mission of helping Britain deliver new nuclear, alongside the work we are doing on the SMR programme selection progress which has now entered the negotiation phase. We will negotiate with the four shortlisted bidders, GE Hitachi, Holtec, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse with a final decision to be taken in Spring.
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Nuclear energy providing a strong economic and social contribution to UK communities
A
new report reveals the positive impacts with a focus on uranium enricher Urenco’s activities in the North West region and the UK at large
In the UK, we are fortunate enough to benefit from the so called “North West Nuclear Arc”, a cluster of nuclear companies and educational establishments spanning the North of England and North Wales, with expertise and capabilities across the sector.
They include the fuel cycle, energy production, waste decommissioning and management. All in all, these are companies who play a vital role in the provision of a low-carbon, reliable, 24-7 source of energy, with the stewardship and responsible waste management to boot.
Urenco’s enrichment site at Capenhurst in Cheshire is a part of the Arc, and its activities also include chemical deconversion and nuclear stewardship.
Its contribution to the North West has long been recognised, even if not fully magnified with regard to its size and effects. But this has since changed with the publication of a socioeconomic impact report Urenco commissioned with Oxford Economics, based on data from 2023.
For example, the facility spent around £230 million with supply chain partners to help support delivery of its operations. This stimulated national economic activity, and of the more than 1,000 suppliers used, around a quarter were in the North West of England.
All of this matters given that the North West is home to some of the most socio-economic deprived districts in England, and Urenco Capenhurst is playing its part to reduce regional inequalities.
The site spent almost 20% of its procurement budget with English suppliers located in the 10% most deprived local authority areas, including Salford, Manchester, and in the east midlands, Nottingham. Around 34% was spent with companies located in the 25% most deprived areas.
The report said: “This expenditure stimulated jobs, economic activity, and taxes at the company’s immediate suppliers and also along their supply
chains, as the suppliers purchased parts and services in order to fulfil Urenco’s orders.”
When it came to making a sizable, direct financial impact at a district level, the figures were unequivocal. Capenhurst contributed £6 million in business rates in 2023, which translates as 8% of the total value from business rates received by Cheshire West and Chester Council in the financial year 2023-24.
The report has documented, in addition, that employees at Urenco Capenhurst earned a basic wage of more than twice the UK average. The average also stands true in the Cheshire West and Cheshire local authority district and wider North West region.
The report said: “The payment of high wages will drive consumer spending in the region which will help to boost the wider economy.”
However, Urenco Capenhurst’s influence extends beyond the North West and its impact on the UK as a whole is sizable.
Economic impact
In the report, Oxford Economics estimated that Capenhurst supported a £547 million contribution to UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023, with around 47% generated by the facility itself—around £256 million. This GDP contribution equates to 5% of that of the total UK civil nuclear industry.
The remainder of the £547 million came through Urenco’s supply chain and impacts related to wages.
Strikingly, it means that the Capenhurst site has a GDP multiplier of 2.1; so for every £10 million in GDP generated by the site, another £11 million is generated somewhere else in the economy.
Capenhurst’s procurement activities meanwhile, resulted in an estimated £174 million contribution to GDP along the supply chain.
“This socioeconomic impact assessment by Oxford Economics puts into perspective just how vital Capenhurst is, not just for the beating heart of the North West but for the UK as a whole.
“From supporting employment, skills, the wider supply chain and communities, to making a significant contribution to the local, regional and national economies, Capenhurst is a proven strategic asset which will become even more invaluable with the dawn of smaller, smarter nuclear reactors in the next decade.”
Chris Lloyd, Group Chief Nuclear Officer for Urenco
And Urenco and its suppliers were estimated by Oxford Economics to have paid their staff £173 million in wages, in total, resulting in a £117 million GDP contribution.
Urenco is of course, an international supplier of uranium enrichment services and 71% of Capenhurst’s turnover in 2023 was generated by exports, £371 million in total. To put this into perspective, the UK’s entire nuclear exports of goods was £1.3 billion.
Exporting provides important opportunities to expand for Urenco. In turn, this is advantageous for the UK economy given that its international presence supports not only domestic jobs, but more widely enhances the UK’s influence on the rest of the world as the country seeks to become a so called, global energy superpower.
Employment
When it comes to jobs, Capenhurst’s impact is just as positive. The report found that last year it supported a total of 4,575 jobs around the UK as a result of its activities. The site itself employed 21% of that estimated total, resulting in an employment multiplier of 4.8. This essentially means that for every 10 people employed at Urenco Capenhurst, its spend supports another 38 jobs somewhere else in the UK.
The report said: “This multiplier is higher than our 2023 study of the wider civil nuclear industry where the employment multiplier was found to be 3.3.”
Furthermore, the site generated tax revenues of £130 million in 2023, sufficient to pay the yearly wages of around 4,000 nurses in the UK.
Skills
Urenco is committed to nurturing talent and the next generation of operators, engineers and scientists in particular. Its Capenhurst site invested approximately £600,000 in 2023 on apprenticeships and sponsored education, staying true to this commitment to skills and expertise. Additionally, the Urenco Richie Education Programme, which fosters young people’s interest in STEM subjects by offering hands-on workshops and digital resources, engaged over 51,000 students in the communities around Capenhurst.
Making smaller reactors a reality
The role of Capenhurst is continuing to evolve after the UK Government awarded Urenco £196 million in May to construct an advanced fuels facility to produce high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU).
The facility will produce HALEU by 2031 to drive the next generation of reactors, becoming the first commercial western supplier in the world.
This will enable advanced reactor developers to have an assured supply of fuel by the time they complete builds, and the facility will be equipped to support the demonstration and deployment of reactors globally.
Urenco is continuing to consider its US site in New Mexico as a further option for a HALEU facility, and has been selected alongside other companies to provide enrichment in support of the Department of Energy’s HALEU programme.
“We are proud to be working with Smart Green Shipping on this pioneering project as we continue our commitment to reducing our environmental impact, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of safety and security in the transport of nuclear materials.”
Seth Kybird, CEO of NTS
“While this is still a trial at this stage, it’s the first real-world application of this wing and could change the way all ships sail, drastically reducing emissions and fuel usage across the industry. ”
Pete Buchan, Managing Director of Shipping at NTS
“NTS demonstrates great leadership in pioneering the world first sea trials of FastRig, we’re delighted to work in partnership with them. Their ships demand the very highest safety standards and our collaboration shows Fastrigs can be installed on any ship.”
Diane Gilpin, CEO of Smart Green Shipping
Nuclear ship embarks on pioneering green shipping initiative
Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) has become the first nuclear transport operator in the world to install and trial revolutionary new sail technology on its specialist ships in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint.
In collaboration with Smart Green Shipping (SGS), a renewable marine technology specialist, the exciting project aims to establish new ways of reducing fuel and greenhouse gas emissions on its nuclear ships.
Installation of SGS’s cutting-edge FastRig wingsail was completed on one of NTS’s specialist vessels, the Pacific Grebe—a purposebuilt ship designed to safely carry nuclear cargos around the world.
The innovative technology uses wind power to help propel the ship, potentially reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 30% on a full commercial installation.
The FastRig wingsail is a lightweight, retractable solution which uses specialist sensors and automated technology to adapt to changing weather conditions, allowing it to deploy and retract as necessary to ensure both fuel efficiency and safety.
NTS and SGS’s collaboration marks the first time a system like this has been installed on a specialist ship of this kind. It underpins NTS’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable operations in adopting cleaner, greener shipping technologies.
The ship has left its home port of Barrow-in-Furness and will be running sea trials this month.
Powering progress through design and communication
In the complex nuclear sector, effective design and communications are vital. The industry must engage diverse stakeholders, from government bodies to local communities.
Good design simplifies intricate information, ensuring accessibility without compromising accuracy. It creates consistent messaging across all platforms.
Effective communication builds trust, addresses concerns proactively, and encourages engagement. In an industry often scrutinised, clear and transparent communication maintains public confidence and secures the appropriate licence to operate.
Well-executed design and communication strategies are crucial for attracting investment, recruiting talent, and positioning nuclear as a key player in clean energy transition.
Nuclear is in our DNA
Since 1992, Forepoint has been a trusted partner in the nuclear industry, delivering comprehensive design and communications solutions that foster brand cohesion and enhance public trust. Initially partnering with BNFL Springfields, we began working at Site and Corporate Communications level, offering a comprehensive suite of services encompassing design, digital solutions, and communication strategies.
As the UK’s nuclear strategy evolved, so did our role within the industry. Between 2004 and 2007 respectively, we created cohesive, interconnected brand identities for British Nuclear Group (BNG), all the Site Licence Companies and Parent Body Organisations – Sellafield Ltd, Magnox North, Magnox South, Springfields, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, Low Level Waste Repository and Research Sites Restoration Ltd.
Each organisation was equipped with everything from suites of corporate templates, signage, communications and marketing collateral, to websites and explainer videos.
The importance of consistent, interconnected brands in nuclear is imperative. In a sector where trust, safety, and reliability are paramount, a unified brand identity serves multiple crucial functions.
It builds public confidence through coherent, consistent and professional presentation across all nuclear entities, simplifies stakeholder communication, and strengthens internal cohesion by fostering shared purpose and values among employees.
More recently, we have supported the NDA in developing engaging brands for Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) and Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), ensuring the visual representations of these entities align with the overarching industry narrative.
Our relationship with Sellafield (SL)
Our partnership with SL coincided with a transformative period in the nuclear industry. Over the past 25 years, SL has navigated a seismic shift in its operational focus, transitioning from power generation and fuel reprocessing to specialised decommissioning and environmental remediation.
This pivot has presented a twofold communication challenge: reforming historical perceptions about nuclear energy while maintaining transparency regarding current operations. We’ve played a key role in helping SL articulate its evolving brand story and in reshaping public perceptions through various initiatives.
These efforts have included regulatory reporting, establishing corporate and social initiatives – for example, Social Impact, Multiplied (SiX) and creating educational, immersive experiences such as The Beacon exhibition.
The many projects we’ve undertaken over the years have been diverse, ranging from traditional corporate communications to innovative public engagement strategies. This approach has been crucial in addressing the complex stakeholder landscape surrounding nuclear operations.
Lessons learnt over 30 years
Over the past three decades we’ve seen a fundamental change in corporate communications within the nuclear sector. The industry has transitioned from a rigid, broadcast-only approach to a more humanised and engaging communication style.
This evolution reflects a broader understanding that effective communication in the nuclear sector requires more than just disseminating information; it necessitates building trust, fostering understanding, and actively engaging with diverse stakeholder groups.
Our experience has shown that this humanised approach is essential for producing compelling and captivating communications. By making complex nuclear concepts more accessible and relatable, the industry can better address public concerns, build community support, and attract the next generation of nuclear professionals.
Cross sector experience
While deeply rooted in the nuclear sector, our expertise extends to other highly regulated and complex industries, including defence, security, and energy.
These sectors share common challenges and opportunities in public perception, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder engagement.
This cross-sector experience provides us with a unique vantage point, enabling us to apply diverse insights and best practices to ‘New Nuclear’, particularly in addressing public acceptance and workforce recruitment challenges.
Why work with Forepoint?
Quite simply, nuclear is in our DNA. We understand the critical importance of effective communication in navigating the complex landscape of nuclear.
Our humanised approach makes detailed concepts accessible, builds stakeholder trust, and promotes a shared sense of purpose across diverse audiences.
Our commitment to good design and transparent communication not only simplifies complex information but also plays a key role in attracting investment and talent, positioning the nuclear industry as a key player in the transition to clean energy.
At Forepoint, we embrace the future of nuclear and are ready to tackle the challenges ahead with creativity and expertise.
Partnering with us means leveraging three decades of experience to communicate effectively and confidently in a rapidly changing world. +44 (0)1772
Andy White, Senior Vice President of Amentum Energy & Environment International (E&E-I)
Amentum, a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, sees the nuclear renaissance as a key driver of growth following its merger with Jacobs’ Critical Mission Solutions business. Andy White shares with us what this means for clients, employees and the industry.
In the 35 years he has been working in the nuclear industry, Andy White has seen many changes, including most recently a new business name following September’s merger between Amentum and the nuclear, defence and security parts of Jacobs. But looking back, he can’t remember a time when customer demand was stronger than it is today.
“The positivity we’re seeing now around the future of nuclear has helped us to grow and expand our services,” he says. “We’ve stuck to our values and kept our clients’ missions at the heart of who we are and as a result, the business is stronger than ever.
“We brought more than 1,000 people into the business last year, including graduates and apprentices, and we’re still recruiting 100 to 150 per month. It’s absolutely vital that we do this if the industry is to rebuild the capacity and capability required to sustain the nuclear renaissance both in the UK and abroad.”
Based in the United Kingdom, Amentum Energy & Environment International (E&E-I) employs more than 7,000 people and has operations in France, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Norway, the Middle East, Australia, Japan and South Africa.
It delivers industry-leading engineering, programme and project management, asset care, scientific research and consultancy services to clients engaged in new build, power plant operations, small modular reactors, fusion, decommissioning, waste management, nuclear propulsion and defence.
For decades, the business has been a key strategic supplier to the UK’s nuclear reactor fleet. It has more than 500 staff members working on Hinkley Point C in programme, project and construction management as well as providing specialist services such as equipment qualification and inspection qualification for non-destructive testing. Amentum’s teams are already deployed supporting programme management at Sizewell C.
The nuclear renaissance is providing a new driver of growth from the array of new reactor developers who need Amentum’s technical capability to develop their designs for small and advanced modular, sodium-cooled and fusion reactors.
Amentum has more than 19,000m³ of technology and research facilities in Warrington, West Cumbria, Harwell, Culham, Humberside and in Slovakia, as well as thousands of nuclear spec-
ialists who provide reactor operators and developers with engineering, materials science, regulatory support and analytical and testing services, drawing on decades of experience and accumulated data.
Andy joined what was then National Nuclear Corporation as a graduate trainee with a degree in physics from Coventry University. In an early career dominated by safety case, site management and project management, he worked on commissioning of Heysham 2 and Torness Nuclear Power Stations.
His next task was to set up a new office in West Cumbria to serve the Sellafield nuclear site. Then he led expansion into Eastern Europe, including decommissioning and clean-up at Chornobyl and Ignalina— both sites where Amentum is still at work—and the post-acquisition development of an innovative waste management business operating in Slovakia and Czechia.
A couple of years ago, Andy renamed his business unit Decommissioning & Regeneration Solutions. “The single word decommissioning didn’t tell the whole story,” he says. “We recognised a need to look further ahead and do two important things: to help our clients find new uses for the sites we are remediating and also build on the skills and experience acquired during the decommissioning process to attract jobs and investment which will provide a longer-term stimulus for the local economy.
“It is vitally important that we deliver this social impact alongside the engineering, project management and consultancy services that we’re best known for.”
In West Cumbria, Amentum helped to create the Industrial Solutions Hub in Cleator Moor, a new economic regeneration initiative aimed at attracting the jobs of the future by building on the existing Sellafield supply chain and providing the conditions for more new businesses to flourish.
“We’re now looking at how we can draw on this experience to guide similar initiatives in Japan, where the regional authorities are looking at ways to regenerate the area around Fukushima by creating a hub for industries related to nuclear decommissioning.
“We hosted a visit by a group of Japanese experts to see what was happening in West Cumbria and we are now envisioning what can be achieved over there.”
Andy was instrumental in last year’s opening of Amentum’s first office in Japan to support a growing involvement with the restoration of Fukushima Daiichi, which includes programme management for the clean-up programme and niche projects, including designing and manufacturing robots to obtain samples for analysis from inside one of the damaged reactors.
Andy points to the combination of high-level programme management capability and deep technical capability as a key driver of growth.
“The two things dovetail together,” he says. “We’re investing heavily in robotics to introduce more automation and we’re using virtual and augmented reality technology to transform how we deliver engineering design and the appraise and select phase of projects.
“This gives us the tools to manage programmes and projects better, to increase efficiency and improve safety by keeping people out of harm’s way.”
An example of this is TANICS, a robotic welding solution for sealing containers of nuclear material which has been developed by Amentum and fabrication specialists Langfields.
To tap into the latest research in robotics, Amentum is helping to fund CRADLE, a new research centre at the University of Manchester, whose PhD researchers are working at the School of Engineering and at Amentum’s laboratories in nearby Warrington.
Andy has also ensured that Amentum is fully committed to helping the industry increase capacity by attracting a more diverse workforce. It runs a New-to-nuclear Academy to help those from other sectors to adapt quickly and hit the ground running and is also a strong supporter of the Destination Nuclear initiative.
“We are seeing huge benefits from the way the profile of our employees has changed,” says Andy. “A more diverse talent force means more diversity of thought and more creative solutions. We’ve also recognised the need to embrace more flexible working options and to give people more opportunity to accelerate their careers, not just within technical disciplines but across them as well. All of this is helping us to achieve some pretty remarkable recruitment targets.
“The merger with Amentum will give us the opportunity to create a great, new company at an unprecedentedly dynamic time for the nuclear industry. It’s quite an exciting time to be doing this job!”
NIA at the Party Conferences: Strong support for nuclear
Each year, when summer holidays have been and gone and Autumn rolls around, politicos prepare for the Party Conferences. And with Labour’s first stint in power for almost 15 years this year’s events had a different feel.
Spanning Sunday through Wednesday, each party hosts its annual conference, arguably one of the most important showcases for each party, its supporters, and businesses across the country to engage with about the most pertinent issues facing the country (and take part in lots of networking too).
Here at the NIA, we packed up our banners and copies of the 2024 Jobs Maps and travelled to Liverpool first, for the most talked about Labour Party Conference in years. The first since winning the 2024 General Election, the Labour Party had a lot to live up to, with record numbers of delegates in attendance and every business in the UK wanting to attend and a chance to rub shoulders with the new Labour Cabinet.
Despite the persistent rain, and 30 minutes queues to get inside the conference centre, we had a very successful (and very busy!) first day. We welcomed over 80 people to our panel, “What role should nuclear play in achieving Labour’s vision for Great British Energy?”.
Panellists included NIA EO Tom Greatrex, Minister Hunt from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Sue Ferns, Deputy General Secretary at Prospect Union, and Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy and discussed how vital nuclear is for the new government’s energy agenda.
Lord Hunt was quick to assure the audience about Labour’s stance and support for nuclear, stating “does nuclear have a role to play in our future energy structure—the answer to that is yes—I can firmly state that on behalf of this Labour government”.
We also supported the Trade Union for Safe Nuclear Energy’s (TUSNE) panel “Delivering Net
Zero: How can labour unlock green growth?” which saw Sue Ferns, Prospect Union, Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft, Tone Langengen, Senior Policy Advisor for Climate & Energy Policy at the Tony Blair Institute, and Paul McNamee, Director of Labour Climate and Environment Forum, highlight the importance of nuclear for the UK economy and the need to tackle the skills gap.
We were then delighted to welcome Minister Hunt to our private roundtable dinner in the evening, to hear firsthand from industry members and Parliamentarians about both the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and how the government can provide certainty about its support for nuclear moving forward.
We then headed to Birmingham for Conservative Party Conference to host our drinks reception “Past, Present, Future: Advancing Conservative Nuclear Energy Policy”. We were delighted to welcome the Rt Hon Claire Coutinho MP and Andrew Bowie MP, now is their Shadow DESNZ roles, to share their thoughts about what the Conservatives need to do now in Opposition to ensure the advancement of new nuclear across the UK.
It was evidently clear that, even in Opposition, the Conservative Party and its supporters still believe nuclear energy is vital to our country’s energy mix and development.
We also, for the time, attended the Plaid Cymru conference in Cardiff, hosting a panel on the need for us to get on with delivering Wylfa. The project would be the single greatest investment in Welsh history and with a Plaid MP representing Ynys Môn, who also featured on our panel, the fringe event showed the support that there is for Wylfa among the rank and file and the eagerness to learn more about our industry.
The planning now starts again for 2025, and with such successful events this year, we have certainly set a high bar for next year’s Party Conferences!
from Pexels — https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-wind-turbines-under-the-blue-sky-12507123
Image by Yura Forrat,
Dunkelflaute:
Low wind, high gas, and lots of imported power – the urgent need for nuclear
At the beginning of November the UK had one of the longest ‘dunkelflaute’ periods we have had in some time. ‘Dunkelflaute’ is the German word for when still, cloudy days mean very little wind or solar power is produced. It meant that during the first week of November, the UK’s ageing nuclear fleet was the leading clean power generator.
Because Sizewell B is in refuelling, it was the stalwarts of our industry—EDF’s AGRs as the country’s only clean and reliable power option— that can credit for flying the flag for Britain’s clean power output, consistently providing over 4,600 MW of power to the grid, a solid and reliable 15-20% of all UK electricity.
But of course, it’s nowhere near enough with gas making up 60% of the mix at times during that week causing carbon intensity levels to soar and driving up the price of power to the highest level in a year. It’s a trend that has been more common lately, compounded by the end of coal power generation. That was an important milestone, but driving down our reliance on dirty, expensive gas will be much more challenging.
Spare a thought then for the National Energy System Operator (NESO) who, during peak ‘dunkelflaute’ launched its Clean Power by 2030 report with a huge push for renewables. Wind’s share of the power mix was as low as 3% at times that week, which shows just how much there needs to be done in a very short space of time to decarbonise the grid. It’s a strong reminder that without nuclear there is no other clean, reliable and secure power source to fill the gaps when there’s little wind.
In both of its clean power scenarios NESO said nuclear would play an important role, with life extensions for the current fleet and a new generation of nuclear plants vital. “Ramping up baseload nuclear,” said NIA CEO Tom Greatrex in response to the report, “is particularly important during the still, cloudy periods like we’re seeing… when there’s no other option than to burn lots of dirty, expensive gas.”
Low renewable output and shrinking nuclear capacity, means Britain is now more reliant on electricity imports from abroad. The UK recently broke the record for the amount of power imports from Europe with NIA analysis of NESO data telling us that we imported a record 26 TWh of electricity in the first nine months of 2024, around 16% of the UK’s power supply, beating the previous record set in 2021 by three months.
Ironically, most of that power comes from French nuclear thanks to it enviable and sizeable 61 GW nuclear fleet. The French started building and didn’t stop and they’re reaping the rewards. At any given time we’re importing upwards of 4 GW of their nuclear power, and paying the price. All in all Britain is paying, on average, £250 million a month for power from abroad. From January through August this year we spent £2 billion on imports. Let that sink in.
“We shouldn’t have to rely on other countries to keep the lights on”, NIA CEO Tom Greatrex said in response to the analysis, “and we certainly shouldn’t leave our energy future up to their decisions. We desperately need more baseload power, so we need to get on with a full new nuclear programme, starting with Sizewell C and then stations big and small at Wylfa and other sites. That way, Britain gets the jobs, the energy and the investment, and not just the bill.”
Importing power does ensure the lights are kept on, but we don’t get the benefits of jobs and investment. And throw in the fact that Britain has spent over £8 billion to balance the grid since January 2022 to help fill the gaps in power generation—costs that according to NESO are borne by consumers—it’s clear that we need to urgently invest in our own clean energy infrastructure.
All of this was not only predictable, it was predicted. It’s not news that we would lose most of our nuclear capacity this decade and apart from lifetime extensions to the AGRs, before long, Sizewell B’s 1.2 GW reactor is all that will be left of the current fleet. What happens then on cloudy, still days? More storage? Perhaps. Carbon capture? It’s possible, but unlikely. Throw in the fact that Britain plans to be net exporters of power by the close of the decade, then it all starts looking very ambitious.
2030 is fast approaching and throw in the government’s new pledge made at COP29 to cut emissions by 81% by 2035—going beyond another pledge of a 68% reduction by 2030—the clock is well and truly ticking.
The stark reality is that if no new nuclear is delivered between now and 2035, we’ll only have two stations online, Hinkley Point C and Sizewell B, providing 4.4 GW of power, which is less than the 5.9 GW we have online today. But long-term decisions are desperately needed on the future of nuclear in the UK so that we can get on with building the fleet of the future.
The best time to start building has been and gone, the next best time is now.
Nuclear Mentors: Supporting skill sharing and cross industry connectivity in nuclear
The Nuclear Institute (NI) has recognised the need to support the nuclear workforce amid the escalating climate crisis and the rising demand for reliable, low-carbon energy. To attract, retain, and develop top talent, the NI has launched its Nuclear Mentoring scheme. This offers a flexible, member-centered platform to address the broader professional needs of its 5,000+ members, ensuring they have access to the skills and support essential for long-term success in the nuclear sector.
The NI has partnered with one of the world’s premier digital mentoring platforms to provide all NI members access to online mentoring using their regular NI login. The platform also includes a handy mobile app for ultimate convenience.
Supporting the Next Generation
The NI mentoring scheme has been designed to meet diverse needs across the nuclear industry, with an initial focus on young professionals. It recognises the active, youthful demographic within the NI through the Young Generation Network (YGN) of which 50% are under 37 years and 25% under 27 years. The NI held focus groups to assess mentoring needs. The feedback revealed a high demand for general career support and professional skills development, leading the NI to survey around 2,000 professionals. The results highlighted some key areas of interest including “understanding career options,” “leadership,” “networking,” and “public speaking,” alongside more specialised interests like “change management” and “climate activism.”
These insights helped shaped the platform’s features where mentors can personalise their profile, select skills in pre-set categories that they can provide support with, and mentees can search based on these or by keyword, making it easy to find mentors with specialised expertise (e.g. experience with ADHD). Additionally, the scheme supports professionals at any stage, including those seeking mid-senior management guidance beyond their own organisations.
The online platform self-service model also addresses scalability, allowing it to meet growing demand without the limitations of manual
matching systems. This ensures that support can grow with the industry’s needs, enhancing access across all career stages.
How is it different to in-house mentoring schemes?
There are a lot of excellent in-house schemes sitting within the industry already. The NI’s scheme is intended to complement existing in-house mentor schemes by addressing unique needs, filling gaps, and connecting individuals with mentors outside their usual networks. Unlike structured graduate programmes that focus on specific competences, our scheme offers mentees a more holistic and flexible mentoring experience. For example, a mentee transitioning to a leadership role valued her mentor’s broader developmental focus, which allowed her to shape the mentoring relationship to her personal needs.
Additionally, the cross-industry aspect has been particularly welcomed, as it provides mentees with diverse perspectives and insights from various areas within the nuclear sector—a rare opportunity given the industry’s geographical limitations.
Our scheme caters to individuals at different career stages, from those who have outgrown graduate programmes to those seeking specific skills development or career advice that their current companies might not offer.
Where are we now?
Nearly 200 people have joined the Nuclear Mentoring scheme in just three months since launch, with about 25% already engaged in active mentoring relationships. New signups are happening daily, and the NI is aiming to reach a target of over 500 participants by mid-2025.
With the ambitious sector targets to grow the nuclear workforce, knowledge transfer schemes like this are vital to ensure we have the suitably qualified people able to drive the sector forward and deliver on Net Zero and energy security targets. Find out more about the NI Mentoring Scheme by visiting https://nuclearinst.com/NIMentoring-Scheme-Nuclear-Mentors.
NEWS FROM THE HUB.
Heysham 2 takes centre stage in new documentary
As world leaders gathered for COP29 in Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer announced a bold new target to cut UK emissions by 81% by 2035, raising the stakes from previous goals, including a pledge for a 68% cut by 2030.
In achieving the goal, the PM said that it was vital for future prosperity and energy security, including boosting green jobs, all of which our industry can help with. Nuclear featured prominently in Baku, with six more countries signing the pledge to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050. One of the original signatories was the United States which announced plans for an additional 200 GW of nuclear by 2050, including 35 GW of new nuclear by 2035. As more of the world turns to nuclear, countries are realising they can’t reach their emissions targets without it.
Research from STEM Returners shows the challenges people face when trying to return to work following a career break, with recruitment bias shown to be the main barrier to entry. It also shows women trying to return to industry are more likely to experience recruitment bias than men.
It’s the same for Britain, new nuclear will be vital to reaching the government’s emissions target, and if anyone needs proof, they should look at nuclear’s recent contribution driven by the AGRs. One of which is Heysham, which has been powering over two million homes with clean electricity for more than 40 years.
To highlight the incredible work behind the scenes at the station, EDF has released a fascinating new documentary, Inside Nuclear (youtube.com/watch?v=jmZtbv0tPXo), giving us an exclusive look at how Heysham 2 helps power the nation. Engineer and Channel 5 presenter, Rob Bell, takes us through every part of the plant—from the reactors and turbines to the fuel ponds and cooling systems, meeting the skilled workers who make it all happen.
The film does more than explore the power station—it shines a spotlight on the people behind it: engineers, operators, and technicians who dedicate themselves to keeping Heysham 2 running safely and efficiently.
UK Industrial Fusion Solutions stands-up to deliver STEP
The UK’s prototype fusion energy powerplant programme will be led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd.
In a milestone moment on the journey to deliver the UK’s first prototype fusion energy plant, leadership of the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme today transitions to UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS).
UKIFS is a wholly owned subsidiary of UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Group and has been established to lead a public-private partnership that will design, build and operate the STEP prototype plant at the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire.
UKAEA will continue to be STEP’s fusion partner, working alongside two industry partners—one in engineering and one in construction—to spearhead the development of a UK-led fusion industry.
A major procurement exercise is currently underway to select STEP’s strategic, long-term industry partners, with the shortlist expected to be announced by the end of the year.
“The launch of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions demonstrates significant progress and commitment to developing fusion as a viable clean energy source, and also to creating a UK-led fusion industry.
“STEP is a national endeavour with global impact, and we will continue to work closely with public and private sector partners to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of a revolutionary sustainable new energy source that will drive economic growth.”
Paul
Methven, CEO of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and Senior Responsible Owner for STEP
STEP aims to pave the way for the commercial viability of fusion by demonstrating net energy, fuel self-sufficiency and a viable route to plant maintenance. The programme’s holistic approach was recently published in a special edition of Royal Society Journal, Philosophical Transactions A.
The site in Nottinghamshire was chosen as the home for STEP due to its infrastructure, proximity to skilled workforces, and community support for innovative energy solutions.
For the latest updates about UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and the STEP programme, visit the newly launched website step.ukaea.uk or follow social channels @STEPtoFusion.
Euan Hutton permanently appointed as Sellafield CEO
Euan Hutton has been permanently appointed the Sellafield CEO, effective from 1 November 2024, having fulfilled the role on an interim basis since July 2023.
Euan, who lives near Cockermouth, began his career on the Sellafield Ltd graduate programme. He has held positions at Sellafield and across the UK and international nuclear industry during his 33-year career.
He has extensive experience of Sellafield’s operations and challenges, having served in a number of senior leadership roles, including Chief Nuclear Officer.
Amentum selected for Ignalina decom contract
Amentum has been selected as consultant for the first-of-a-kind dismantling of steam drum separators in Units 1 and 2 of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) in Lithuania, an important step in decommissioning what was once the country’s largest generator of electricity.
The seven-year contract, estimated by INPP to be worth €5.5 million in revenue and to be implemented under International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Yellow Book Conditions, will be administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and funded by European Commission grants.
Amentum will provide consultancy services to support the INPP’s Project Management Unit (PMU) and carry out the duties of FIDIC Engineer for the dismantling contract.
Amentum will help INPP to manage the removal of the Steam Drum Separators—large drums installed over the graphite core to divert steam to the turbines. The PMU will oversee the design and safety justification for dismantling and fragmentation of the drums and associated equipment, which are located in the plant’s radiologically contaminated primary circuit. The Amentum team will also be available to support further stages of decommissioning at INPP.
INPP’s two RBMK-1500 reactors generated up to 70% of Lithuania’s electricity before the plant was shut down in 2009. Amentum’s heritage firms began working there more than 20 years ago, helping to deliver a New Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility and other facilities required for decommissioning.
Rising stars recognised for work in nuclear
The 12th annual ECI Training and Development Awards in November recognised three rising stars for their achievements in the nuclear sector.
Monika Czyz-Grzesik, Lewis White and Toby Highstead each picked up an award at a prestigious ceremony in London to honour the very best of engineering construction talent.
The event, organised by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), brought together industry leaders, as well as the rising stars of tomorrow, for a celebration of excellence in training and development.
Monika, who works for Cavendish Nuclear as a trade labourer for the MEH Alliance on Hinkley Point C nuclear site, was named ECITB New Entrant of the Year. The submission for the award highlighted how Monika demonstrated resilience and tenacity after moving to the UK from Poland.
The 38-year-old, who is mother to 10-year-old twins, studied in evenings via flexible delivery to complete the Hinkley Support Operative Bronze Programme—a collaborative training programme between the ECITB and EDF to prepare new entrants to the industry to work on the nuclear power station site in Somerset.
Lewis, who is a Level 3 Apprentice Project Controls Technician at Wigan project consultancy Herne Group, was named Apprentice of the Year.
He was recognised by the judges as a “great ambassador” for both the company and wider industry for his dedication, proactive attitude and one-team mindset through his outstanding contributions to major project reporting processes.
Toby, who is a mechanical engineer at Amentum in Warrington and graduated with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leicester, picked up the Graduate of the Year award. He joined Jacobs in September 2022 and spent two years as a graduate mechanical engineer working in the north of Scotland on Dounreay in the nuclear decommissioning sector, engaging in project planning, design and implementation. The firm merged with Amentum in September this year.
The 24-year-old was recognised by the judges for his technical prowess, innovative problemsolving, leadership, dedication to community and environmental stewardship.
Find out more about the ECI Training and Development Awards 2024 at ecitb.org.uk/ecitraining-development-awards-2024.
STEPHANIE MCKENNA • HEAD OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES AND EVENTS • NIA
Business Group Round-up
The NIA team loves nothing more than catching up with our members, hearing about their successes, learning about the innovative work they are doing, and understanding more about the various opportunities available across the industry. Our extensive Business Group Programme permits us to do all of this under one roof!
The Business Group Programme has been particularly busy over the last two months as we welcomed over 500 attendees across five different business groups hosted in Warrington, Cardiff, and London.
Each group brings a different sector of the industry to the forefront, and it has been fascinating to hear the plethora of opportunities available for companies both here in the UK and globally.
A hot topic across multiple group meetings was fuel. New projects in this area are key to the success of the industry and the opportunities for the UK to engage with these projects is extensive. Fuel is arguably the UK’s greatest comparative strength and strongest export sector, so it is incredibly encouraging to hear how engaging the market currently is.
Regulation and Licensing, and challenges surrounding financing and legal frameworks were more topics for discussion and deliberation. It was conclusive that solutions such as the private financing of new nuclear projects and the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model could reduce investor risk and lower financing costs.
As the government’s SMR competition continues, it was encouraging to hear from vendors and Great British Nuclear on progress to date.
A particular highlight of the New Build Group meeting was hearing from NNL about the inspiring work the company are doing with their Girls Out Loud mentoring programme. This initiative focuses on the social value companies can have within their communities and the beneficial affects it is having is awe-inspiring. The programme aims to help those ‘in-between’ girls find their place and prevent them from being ‘lost’ amongst the noise of navigating school by offering a mentor to meet with them once a month. We’d love to hear from more of our members about any work there are doing that is similar.
We love getting our members talking to each other and one way we do this is encouraging our speakers to offer interactive presentations. Our Decommissioning and Waste Management Group was treated to an excellent interactive session around using our strengths to properly innovate and problem solve. It prompted some fascinating discussions about how we play to our strengths in our respective roles and the way those strengths, when combined with others, can be built into a problem-solving machine!
We love a tour, and as part of the Decommissioning Group we enjoyed visiting Aberthaw Power Station to learn about how the former coal station is being thoughtfully decommissioned, and the proposed plan for the redevelopment of the site.
Our final Business Group Meeting of the Autumn season was our Fusion group, hosted by Arup in their London offices. We explored the theme of manufacturing for this meeting and one session that particularly stood out was the open panel discussion around the question ‘how do we apply lessons learnt from fission to fusion?’. Considering a lot of our members work across both the fission and fusion sectors, this question sparked a healthy discussion. Throughout every group meeting, it was clear that we need political support to see the plethora of projects in motion succeed so, it was great to have our own NIA Policy and Communications teams offer up presentations at our business group sessions about the importance of engaging with your local MP.
An important part of the business group programme that we run here at NIA is the networking that comes with these events. We organised three very large pay-your-own-way dinners this season and we’ve loved catching up with members over good food in every city we’ve visited! We hope you enjoyed them as much as we did.
These business groups don’t chair themselves! We would like to extend our deepest thanks to our group Chairs and Vice Chairs for supporting and delivering these events with us. They give up their valuable time to help bring together interesting and engaging agendas, and we are forever appreciative to them
A massive thank you also to all of our sponsor and supporting organisations for this season; Assystem, Costain, Deloitte, Mott MacDonald, Stephenson Harwood, Vulcain Engineering, Wales Nuclear Forum, and Arup.
Did we deliver? We would love to hear your thoughts about these meetings as we prepare the programme of events for 2025, which we hope to share early in the new year.
Scan the QR code for a short feedback questionnaire on our 2024 group meetings.
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 email membership@niauk.org
LUCIDEON lucideon.com
Lucideon offers materials development and validation organisation with capabilities surrounding advanced ceramics, complex corrosion testing, ILW/LLW encapsulation material development and complex mechanical testing.
SEMP sempltd.com
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TRILLIUM FLOW TECHNOLOGIES trilliumflow.com
Trillium Flow Technologies is a developer and manufacturer of control, isolation & safety relief valves, pumps, actuators and vessels for nuclear power generation. Trillium products are currently installed in 75% of the global operating nuclear fleet, covering conventional island, turbine island, and balance of plant.
SRCN SOLUTIONS srcnsolutions.com
SRCN Solutions specialises in creating, refining and improving work and maintenance management systems in the nuclear, oil and gas, renewable, utilities and power sectors. SRCN identifies problem areas and provides you with strategies to tackle these issues.
HEIDELBERG MATERIALS heidelbergmaterials.co.uk/en
Heidelberg Materials UK offer an extensive range of heavy building materials including concrete, aggregates, asphalt, cement, Regen GGBS, recycling and contracting services. Explore our low carbon and specialist product offer which supports construction in all heavy building material projects.
QUASAR ENERGY quasarelectricity.com
Quasar Energy is an end-to-end, customer oriented, alternative energy company capturing the experience and skills of Madhvani International in developing sustainable projects for generation and distribution of electricity, offering investment, development and implementation of SMR based power generation.
HOCHTIEF hochtief.com
HOCHTIEF is an engineering-led global infrastructure solutions provider with leading positions in North America, Australia and Europe and a rapidly expanding presence in high-tech, energy transition and sustainable infrastructure markets.
BERRY & ESCOTT LTD berryescott.co.uk
As a precision engineering company, we deliver work of exceptional quality via our comprehensive range of engineered solutions. Our attention to detail and technical insight has enabled us to forge long-standing, close working relationships with companies of all sizes across a variety of complex sectors.
When Ratcliffe-on-Soar, the UK’s last remaining coal-fired power station, produced its last megawatt of electricity in October we entered a new coal-free age, but with plans for a clean power grid by 2030—Labour government’s big target—what will become of the communities most affected by these closures, where old power stations lie dormant with no new jobs and no signs yet of a green transition?
We’ve been turning off coal power stations for a long time, very slowly turning off the tap on an industry that gave Britain so much, not least the good, skilled, long-term jobs and investment which helped build and sustain whole communities. But instead of replacing these stations with new cleaner technologies, many remain untouched, just big old hulks and relics of a bygone era. To leave them like that would be a terrible waste.
The truth of the matter is that we should have been replacing dirty baseload coal a long time ago, not with fossil gas like we have been doing—which we’re racing to phase out too—but instead, with the only clean source of baseload power we have: nuclear.
Nuclear is the only like for like replacement for coal and gas which is zero-carbon. It’s weatherproof and available 24/7 and vital for our energy security and net zero targets. But instead of getting on with building new reactors, all we have done in the last decade is approve enough new nuclear to make up for the nuclear we have lost in the last 36 months as ageing stations come offline.
Former coal power sites like Aberthaw in South Wales, and around 20 others, are perfect for new nuclear projects, with their excellent gridconnections and host communities built on industry that need new jobs and investment.
A berthaw is a great case in point. The former 1.5 gigawatt station, the biggest in the world when it first opened in the 1960s, sits on a 500-acre site which was recently bought by CCR Energy, a private development company. I was lucky enough to visit the station recently and the site does have serious potential for nuclear development. It has everything you would need along with a dedicated team committed to go take the site on a coal-toclean journey.
It’s already being talked about in the US, with a recent Department of Energy report concluding that shuttered coal plants and ones that will soon retire, could provide space for over 170 gigawatts of new nuclear power. We should seriously be looking at doing the same in the UK and it will be a big missed opportunity if we don’t.
And while it may seem like a no-brainer to explore utilising existing sites, there needs to be an honest and open conversation with communities about the various different options nuclear brings, from Small Modular Reactors to power towns and communities, including hospitals and schools, or even smaller Advanced Modular Reactors, to power heavy industry, data centres or even steel production. They all come with the promise of good, long-term jobs too, locked in for 70, 80, even 100 years plus.
Jobs and growth is what nuclear gives us. It’s why we need to see Sizewell C get to a Final Investment Decision and a clear plan for future projects at places like Wylfa, so we can add to the 87,000 people already working in the industry.
On growth, the latest economic impact assessment of our industry found that Gross Value Added per full time equivalent nuclear worker was more than £100,000. The sector contributes £4.5 billion to the exchequer, and the overall multiplier of economic activity is 2.6, so for every £1 spent in the industry, an additional £1.60 of economic activity is created.
Becoming the first G7 nation to phase out coal is no mean feat, and whilst we haven’t made the same progress as France when it comes to clean power generation—it has one of the world’s cleanest power grids thanks to 65 gigawatts of nuclear—we are way ahead of many other major economies, including Germany, which has one of the EU’s dirtiest power grids due to a reliance on coal after it shut down several reactors early.
So amidst all the end of coal self-congratulation and backslapping, we should remember the knock on effect of this milestone on communities across Britain, which is why we should be advocating for a national coal-to-nuclear programme to bring back jobs, investment and opportunity to communities who can make the energy transition work.
IOLO JAMES • HEAD OF
▲ Aberthaw Power Station close to Barry in South Wales (Credit: CCR Energy)
