NSAN ready to support biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years
01/02/2024
The government has outlined plans to reduce electricity bills, support thousands of jobs and improve UK energy security, including exploring building a major new power station and investing in advanced nuclear fuel production.
The Civil Nuclear Roadmap will give industry certainty of the future direction of the UK’s ambitious nuclear programme, on top of the government’s historic commitment to Sizewell C and world-leading competition to develop small modular reactor (SMR) technology.
The roadmap sets out how the UK will increase generation of this homegrown supply of clean, reliable and abundant energy by up to four times to 24 GW by 2050, enough to provide a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs.
The plans include the next steps for exploring a GW-scale power plant as big as Sizewell in Suffolk or Hinkley in Somerset, which are each capable of powering six million homes.
The government will also invest up to £300 million in UK production of the fuel required to power new high-tech nuclear reactors, known as high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), currently only commercially produced in Russia.
An additional £10 million will be provided to develop the skills and sites needed to produce other advanced nuclear fuels in the UK, helping to secure a long-term domestic nuclear fuel supply and support the country’s allies.
The roadmap also includes a government ambition to secure 3-7 GW worth of investment decisions every five years from 2030 to 2044 on new nuclear projects.
Tricia Austin, Managing Director of the National Skills Academy Nuclear (NSAN), commented: “NSAN supports the government’s commitment to the expansion of nuclear power in the UK as outlined in the Civil Nuclear Roadmap. This comprehensive plan not only addresses the pressing need for energy security but also emphasises the potential for job creation and economic growth. The vision to quadruple the generation of clean and reliable energy by 2050, reaching 24 GW, is a significant step towards achieving the nation’s electricity needs.
“The National Skills Academy Nuclear is committed to supporting the skills development needed, as highlighted by the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group and the Nuclear Skills Taskforce. This expansion in the workforce will be crucial for sustaining the growth of the nuclear industry. Doubling the civil and defence nuclear workforce over the next 20 years and supporting around 80,000 additional skilled jobs will help to ensure a workforce equipped for the challenges of the future.”
